CRISIS
by Thuktun Flishithy
Summary: The New God has risen. All that was, is, and will be is under threat. A great assemblage of heroes rises to counter the forces of evil, but will the battle for mankind's soul be won? Sequel to The Last Daughter, Hail to the King, Guardian of Humanity, and Worldfall.
1. Prologue

**A/N: This story implements universes and characters from both my other fanstories and from various franchises. None of them are mine; this story is a nonprofit work that gratefully borrows from the rightful and respective owners.**

 **Now that is out of the way, it is time to let everything unfold as it will, but not before introducing the story thus far...**

 **Darkness falls, and a light shines on the stage.**

* * *

 **Ω**

* * *

A man sat in a simple lawn chair, reading a book aloud to himself. On the surface, there appeared to be nothing out of the ordinary about him. His clothes were nondescript, and there was no sign at all of what lurked underneath. There was only a strange glint in his eyes, one that hinted at something beyond his exterior.

Deep within Sleeper, watching the outside world with eyes he didn't control, a man sobbed to himself. He raged at the dark force that bound him, stripped him of his will, but it was as useless as draining an ocean with a dropper. Despite it, however, he pushed on, clinging on to that last sliver of hope within his soul.

 _Please,_ he whimpered. _Please, you don't have to keep me like this. Just leave me or kill me, I don't care anymore._

Another voice chuckled, the sound dragging across the back of the man's mind like a rusty blade.

 ** _Death would be a kindness to you,_** it rumbled, its voice as deep as hate itself. **_No, you are needed where I am going. I need a body if I wish to further my plans, as well as someone to torment. You suffice for both, insect. Be grateful you will not be required for as long as your predecessors had been. The Kryptonian's presence has forced me to accelerate things. For too long I have been here, recuperating from my being cast from my own world. The time has come to truly regain what I have lost._**

The man's body snapped the book shut, then rose to its feet, guided along by the dark presence like a marionette. The man struggled against the presence's control, trying to move of his own accord, but it was utterly futile.

 _ **Please,**_ _**continue,**_ the voice said, a hint of amusement lining its words. _**It will give me great pleasure to see your will break like the others before you.**_

 _Why are you doing this?_ the man asked. _Why do such terrible things to the people in your territory? Why take me over and make me into a puppet, just like all your other victims?_

 _ **Why? Is not the answer clear? I enjoy this, insect. I am incomplete when there is no one to torment, to rule over and terrorize. It is why I seek for the antithesis to life itself.**_

 _What, that's it? You just want to kill everyone?_

The voice chuckled again, scraping at the edges of the man's consciousness, gnawing away at his soul. For the briefest of moments, he swore he felt something _beyond_ the presence, but dismissed the thought. The alternative was too horrifying to comprehend.

 ** _I do not wish for everything to meet with death,_** it said. **_Death is but the negation of life, the end of it. No, I seek for something else. Life is not just the existence of living things. It is_ freedom _. Choice. The ability to control and decide your own destiny, to carve out an identity for yourself. It is a disgusting, chaotic thing, and I will turn it upon itself and make it_ mine _. I will corrupt life itself, steal away its soul and make it part of me for all eternity._**

The man found himself lurching forward, moving against his own volition. He exited the drab stone room that were his quarters and prison, making for the vast courtyard within. It was nighttime outside, and the Moon was nowhere to be seen. The blackness of the night was overwhelming, deadening the colors he managed to see.

 ** _Everything in Creation has an opposite, a yin to a yang. Order and Chaos. Beginning and End. Life, and_ Anti-Life.**

Something flickered before him, like a swirl of concentric rings, then solidified into something else. It was like a vast starry field had been revealed through the circle cut into the air, laying bare an entire universe beyond the one he knew. As the moments passed, however, he realized that they weren't stars. They were Earths.

Infinite Earths.

 _ **There are places I must go to,**_ the voice said. _**Armies to build, allies to make. It will take time, but time is one of the few things I have in overabundance. Soon, everyone will know there was a time when**_ **the old gods died.**

The man moved forward, screaming inwardly at the sight before him, and stepped through.

 ** _Soon, all will be_ Darkseid.**

* * *

 **==/*\==**

* * *

 _Chichi-jima, (E)Earth, Five Years Later_

"Why am I here again?"

Ritsuko Akagi looked up from her computer console, frowning slightly at the slight boy sitting in the corner of the room. "Security reasons, mainly. Remember what happened last time someone between universes?"

Shinji Ikari sighed, his eyes trailing to the nearby window. A lush beach could be seen past the low-lying sprawl of bunkers and equipment, with turquoise waters lapping gently at white sands. What caught his attention the most, however, was the gigantic monster peacefully sleeping beneath the waves, its massive form easily visible even from his vantage point some half-kilometer away.

"You got me there," he admitted. "It does make me wonder why you want to do it again, though."

"Godzilla's arrival and the revelation of another Earth very different from ours, despite being extremely chaotic, _did_ work out for the best," Ritsuko replied. "If it weren't for that, we'd all probably be a great puddle of LCL right now, or worse." She turned back to the computer console, her fingers dancing over the keyboard. "There are risks involved, but there could be great benefits as well, especially with what we learned from the Leliel entity. I'm sure you read the papers Dr. Ontonashi wrote about it last month."

"Mom made sure of that," Shinji said, absentmindedly playing with his thumbs. "It's so... different having her around now, but it's a good different. Why couldn't she come with me to this spot? Or Misato?"

"Well, Misato's on the other Earth right now, giving lectures to EDF personnel and nagging for better trade agreements, if I recall correctly. As for your mother, this is supposed to be secret until we can determine that the public can know about it, and she wasn't cleared. Considering what happened last time she was involved in a secret project..."

Shinji sighed again. "Okay, then. How much longer do I have to be here? Asuka and I have a movie night planned."

Ritsuko paused, a coy smile on her face. "A bit anxious, hmm?"

"W-well, I mean..." Shinji stammered, his cheeks blushing a bright red. He stopped himself, took a deep breath, then continued. "I just don't want to miss out on it."

"Don't worry, you'll be able to leave soon enough; we're starting small today." Ritsuko rose from her seat, looking over the half-dozen technicians in front of her. "Status on the singularity generator."

"We're green," one replied. "Kerr generators are primed."

Ritsuko nodded. "Commence with two millisecond pulses, then work up to a full second of sustained tunneling."

"Yes, ma'am."

Half a kilometer away, a complicated-looking piece of machinery whirred to life. There was a low sound, one more felt than heard, and Shinji could see a small black sphere flicker into life, if only for the briefest of moments. A few seconds passed, and there was another flicker, more lasting than before. The cycle repeated, each appearance more lasting, and Shinji could see the strange interplay of light within the warped spacetime over the bay.

Then there was a flash of light, bright enough to leave a violet afterimage in Shinji's eyes, followed by a deafening crash that rattled the foundations of the building. The rumbling died down slowly, giving way to silence.

"Status report!" Ritsuko barked.

"The wormhole's closed," one of the technicians replied, rubbing his eyes. "Close range scanners are downed, most likely a short range EMP. We reroute some connections to get the cameras working again."

"There's no need," Ritsuko said numbly, her eyes fixated on a point on the beach. "We already know what came across."

Shinji blinked a few times, then followed the faux blonde's line of sight, his breath catching when he realized what had landed in the bay.

Some massive _thing_ stood in the bay, towering over the nearby buildings and trees. Its appearance was much like that if a tortoise or turtle, if they could grow to be eighty meters tall, and stood on two trunk-like legs tipped with clawed toes. The head was decidedly more bestial, with a pair of massive tusks protruding from the lower jaw, yet there was something _wise_ behind the creature's unusually large eyes.

It was wounded, grievously so. Bright green blood trickled from large gashes on its throat and chest, the creature's right arm had been unevenly severed at the elbow, as though something had managed to blast it off. Something glinted white from the stump in the afternoon sun, and Shinji realized it was a jagged piece of bone.

The creature surveyed its surroundings, taking in deep and ragged breaths. It wobbled slightly, as though it would fall at any moment, but Shinji could sense the aura of strength about the thing that refused to let it do so. Broken, but unbowed.

"Another kaiju," Ritsuko said. It was more of a statement than anything else, considering previous circumstances. "Shinji, you should head out to investigate. Be careful; it looks pretty roughed up, but there's no telling what it could do."

"Right." Shinji rose from his seat, taking a deep breath. There was a brief flash of light, and suddenly he was clad in his armor again. It was strange, wearing it without his old companion offering guidance, but he brushed it aside as he made for the door.

The sound of thousands of gallons of seawater sloshing about reached his ears, and he realized he had to hurry.

Godzilla had woken up.

Stepping outside, Shinji took to the air at full speed, rocketing towards the bay. Godzilla was already rising from beneath the waves, titanic amounts of seawater cascading off his charcoal scales as he did so. His fiery orange eyes briefly noted Shinji as the boy flew beside him, then locked on the wounded kaiju standing nearby. The turtle-like creature did the same, clenching its remaining fist as it prepared for a possible fight.

There was a pregnant pause as the two titans squared off. A low growl escaped Godzilla's throat as he studied the wounded creature, then he took a tentative step forward, the deep waters of the lagoon only coming up to his thighs. The turtle-like kaiju did the same, shifting slightly to the left, towards the open ocean. Trying to escape, perhaps?

Shinji landed on the beach, sand crunching beneath his still human-sized metal boots. He watched the two kaiju stare at each other, waiting. If a fight did break out, then it would be for the best if he tried to help Godzilla move it away from the technicians back at the base. Until then, however, he would simply stand on the sidelines; there was no point in size-shifting if it would only worsen the situation. Folding his arms, he began to wait.

Something surprising happened. Godzilla called out at the creature, and it responded in kind. Unlike the bass shriek of the nuclear leviathan, the new kaiju's roar sounded almost like the bellowing of an elephant. A few more vocalizations were traded between the two, then Godzilla visibly relaxed, his shoulders sagging. The turtle-like kaiju did the same, gently kneeling into the water.

 _Looks like they talked it out,_ Shinji thought to himself. _Never expected Godzilla to do_ that.

Something else caught his eye. A few small shapes were paddling towards his general direction, and Shinji realized they were actually a trio of people. Looking closer, he saw that they had swords on their back, trailing behind them as they swam. One of them was swimming foremost to the others, occasionally helping them to stay afloat.

The seeming leader of the group reached the shore first, crawling onto the pristine white sands and rolling onto his back. The others followed suit, panting as they collapsed to the ground. It was then that Shinji decided to head over to investigate, the ground flitting beneath him as he floated towards the small group.

The leader spotted him first. Willing himself upright, he reached for a sword and pointed it at Shinji, still panting heavily.

"Stay back," he growled in perfect Japanese. "No closer."

Shinji lowered to the ground, his hands raised in the universal gesture of peace. With a thought, he willed his helmet to retract, allowing them to see his face. "It's alright. You can trust me."

The leader said nothing, but Shinji could see his sword lower a fraction of an inch. He turned to the prone forms of his comrades, then to the turtle-like kaiju. Sighing, he turned back to Shinji. "I have a feeling we'd be dead if you wanted us to be."

Shinji stepped closer, kneeling down as to look the man in the eyes. "What happened to you? Why are you here?"

The man's expression didn't change from its almost bored look, but Shinji could see something shift behind his eyes. "It was going so well at first. Gamera-" he gestured to the turtle-like kaiju "-was pushing them back. Winning. Eren helped as well, once he learned to control himself. For the first time in forever, things were looking good. We were even starting to live in Wall Maria again, and there were talks about a push to the outside." He sighed. "Then they came."

"Who?"

"T-they came from the sky," another voice said.

Turning, Shinji saw that one of the others had risen to a sitting position. His blond hair was long and wet with seawater, covering half his face, but Shinji could see the wide eyes behind it. There was a look of unadulterated fear in them, one that made Shinji grow suddenly uneasy.

"T-they came out of nowhere," the boy continued, rocking back and forth gently. "Monsters. Men. _Things_ that were neither. They came to our land and _unmade_ it all, taking apart everything we had done. They shattered the walls and flooded in with their army, burning everything in sight. Anyone that wasn't slaughtered was either enslaved or _transformed_ into more monsters. Gamera tried to fight them off, but even he couldn't do it, not with _him_ leading the monsters in."

"Who are you talking about?" Shinji asked, feeling a knot tighten in his gut.

The boy looked straight through him, a far-away glint in his eyes.

"The stone man," he hissed. "The stone man with the red eyes. H-he's coming for us. He's coming for us all."

* * *

 **Ω**

* * *

 ** _Dramatis Personae_**

 _ **The Forces of Evil**_

 _He that is Uxas, the Sleeper, the Tiger-Force at the heart of Creation..._ _ **DARKSEID**  
...His vast army of Kaiju, Titans, Parademons, and other assorted dark creatures._

 _Barachiel; Primarch of the Eleventh Legion,_ The Coming Storm _  
...Countless Chaos Marines, Daemons, Titans, and other horrific weapons of war  
...His flagship, _ The World Maelstrom

 _Visser Three; Architect of the Yeerk Invasion of Earth  
_... _An assortment of Human, Taxxon, and Hork-Bajir Controllers.  
...The Blade Ship_

 _The White Woman; the forbidden union of Knowledge and Life_

 _Countless more_

 ** _The Forces of_** _**Good**_

 _Taylor Hebert;_ _The Last Daughter of Krypton_ _  
...Amy Dallon-Hebert; the powerful biokinetic known as Panacea  
...Colin Wallis; the Batman  
...Tess Theresa Ricter; the AI known as Dragon_

 _Shinji Ikari; former host to the being known as Zone Fighter  
...Godzilla; King of the Monsters  
...Junior, his son  
...Anguirus, Mothra, and Rodan; his companions_

 _Gamera; the Guardian of the Universe  
...Armin Alrert; his human link  
...Eren Yeager; the Rogue Titan  
...Levi Ackerman; Humanity's Strongest_

 _Atvar; Viceroy of the Race on Tosev Three  
...Kirel; his second in command  
...Wallafess; a disgruntled Rabotev troopmale  
...Harpanet; Advisor to the Herdmaster  
...Assorted members of the Race Conquest Fleet and _ Thuktun Flishithy

 _Yama; the Deathgod  
_ _...His wondrous inventions_

 _Louis Wu; a Flatlander  
...Speaker-To-Animals, a Kzinti  
...Nessus; a Pierson's Puppeteer  
...Their ship; the _ Lying Bastard

 _Jake, Cassie, Marco, Rachel, Tobias, and Ax; the Animorphs  
...Toby Hamee; Seer of the Free Hork-Bajir_

 _Bjorn the Fell-Handed; a grumpy old man_

* * *

 ** _You have been reading:_**

 ** _CRISIS, Prologue_**

* * *

 ** _The end-times have come for all that is, was, and will be. The battle for mankind's soul has begun._**


	2. Chapter One: The Invasion

Previously on

 **CRISIS**

 _Shinji Ikari, known also as the Zone Fighter, has born witness to a quartet of refugees from another universe. One of them is none other than Gamera, the Guardian of the Universe, who was grievously wounded by unknown forces..._

 _While investigating the incident, Shinji encounterS the other three refugees, who identify themselves as members of the Survey Corps. One of them, a young boy named Armin, warns of an invading army led by a man with red eyes._

 _As Shinji and company attempt to unravel what has happened, another world finds themselves under threat..._

* * *

 **A**

* * *

 _Somewhere on (A)Earth, one week later_

(Uh, Jake? This doesn't seem right. Like, at all.)

(You're right, Marco. There should be at least a few Controllers outside the bunker standing guard, but I can't see any.)

There was a soft flapping sound, prompting the two to look up. A red-tailed hawk lighted onto a tree branch, shaking down a few water droplets from the morning dew, then peered down at them in a decidedly human manner.

(No sign of them,) Tobias said, casually preening one of his wings. (Cassie and Ax are checking around the perimeter as well, but they haven't found any Controllers. Rachel's heading over to do another flyby, but I don't think she'll have any luck.)

Jake peered at the distant form of the bunker. Even with the superior vision of his tiger morph, it was hard to discern any details through the low-hanging fog. Inching forward, he pressed his stomach to the damp ground, a growl building in his throat. (This isn't right. We checked just two days ago with fly morphs; they couldn't have just packed up and left.)

(Maybe it has something to do with Visser Three disappearing,) Marco offered. His gorilla morph leaned back a bit, absentmindedly scratching his chest. (Everyone's favorite cannibalistic megalomaniac hasn't shown his ugly head for the past two weeks. Do you think they're moving shop?)

(I wouldn't bet on it,) Tobias said. (Why would Visser Three want to let the 'Andalite bandits' move about freely?)

(Maybe someone from Yeerk Resources decided that eating your subordinates was bad for morale and fired him,) Marco snarked. (Or he had some bad grass and needed to take a break from conquering the world for a few days. Whatever it is, it should be something to check out if we don't want to get caught with our pants down.)

(Whatever it is,) Jake said, (it makes me nervous. I think we should regroup with the others and head back to the barn. Tobias, you should try and get Toby to get her Hork-Bajir back to the-)

He didn't get to finish the sentence before the ground shook. A brief shower soaked them from above as the trees wobbled violently, and there was a sound of thunder that seemed to roll across the forest. Marco sprung to his feet, four hundred pounds of silverback gorilla heaving as he looked around.

(Guys? What was that?)

(That was the military base nearby,) a new voice replied. The ground shook again, less violent than before. (And that was another, I believe. Or maybe it was the aircraft carrier group just a few miles off the coast. It's so hard to keep track of your little hives, you know.)

At once, the trio froze. They _knew_ that voice, more of an impression upon the mind than anything else. Jake was the first to turn, followed by Tobias and Marco.

Visser Three stood twenty feet away, idly flicking his tail blade as he looked upon the group with something that could only be called smugness. His face was turned towards Jake, while he had an eye stalk trained on Marco and Tobias. The architect of Earth's invasion folded his delicate arms across his chest, a learned gesture from humans. Jake saw that there was something painted on his chest, almost like a black wheel with eight arrows of varying length protruding from the rim.

(How the hell did he just show up?) Marco hissed. (Is he a teleporter or something? And what was that about a military base blowing up? I'm starting to freak out a little bit.)

(I don't know,) Jake replied. He backed away ever so slightly, prepared to lunge at any moment. If he was to attack -and get in range of that whiplike blade- he would have to time it. (Try to stay calm. Tobias, do you see anyone else nearby? Controllers?)

(Can't see anybody else,) the hawk replied. (It's just him.)

(Awfully quiet,) Visser Three said. (Trying to formulate a plan, _Jake?_ )

(I don't know what you're talking about,) Jake replied, trying his damnedest to not let his panic show. _He knows my name_. _How?_

(DON'T LIE!) the Visser snapped, his tail suddenly standing to attention. His familiar hair-trigger temper was revealing itself, and Jake found himself growing more wary as the Andalite Controller took another step forward. (I know all of your names, now. To think that you fooled me for so long with the Andalite bandit setup... a clever move, I admit. But that is all in the past now, as is the freedom of your species.)

(What are you talking about, bozo?) Marco demanded. (Last time I checked, we were whooping your slimy behind for months.)

(That was before,) Visser Three snarled. He composed himself, and the smug tone came back. (This is now.)

As if on cue, fire rained down from the heavens. Jake found himself watching as the spears of light lanced at points beyond the horizon, the ground shaking belatedly with each impact. Straining his eyesight, he saw that they came from a brilliant point in the sky, visible even in daylight. A ship, most likely, but it would have to be monstrously huge to be so visible.

(You've gone all out,) he found himself saying. (You Yeerks are just going to brute force it, now?)

(Us? No, the fools running the Empire would never be so bold.) The Visser began morphing, much faster than Jake would believe possible. In a matter of seconds, he was some great beast fifty feet tall, with bioluminescent lines running along his body that glowed a fierce blue. As Visser Three stared down at the group with gleeful contempt, Jake couldn't help but let out a squeak of terror.

(I've made some new friends.)

* * *

 **A**

* * *

 _Elsewhere_

(Ax, do you hear that?) Cassie inquired, her wolf morph's ears perked up as she glanced around. (Sounded almost like an explosion.)

Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthil craned an eyestalk towards the source of the sound. (I am not sure,) he replied, his tail blade tensing. (The ratio of sound level to tremors doesn't indicate an explosion or energy blast. It does remind me of a topic covered briefly in class when I wasn't even an _aristh_ , but...)

(But what? Ax, what are you talking about?)

(It's... possible that the rumbling was caused by kinetic bombardment, most likely from orbit.) Ax turned the other eyestalk to Cassie, a concerned look on his face. (This can only mean that the Yeerks are engaging in open warfare against your planet. We need to get to the others.)

A shout came from behind, prompting the two to turn. The Free Hork-Bajir were yelling in Garlash at something hidden from view, throwing spears and firing arrows. Suddenly, one of them _exploded_ , black blood spraying from the mutilated remains of its torso. The others roared in response, charging out of sight through the tree line as they met with the unseen enemy. Some of them took to the trees, rapidly scaling the thick trunks as to gain a high ground.

Finally, some of the attackers made themselves none. A hairy _thing_ lunged out of the bushes at one of the Hork-Bajir, tearing up the damp earth with massive claws. It reminded Cassie of her own wolf morph, but with its proportions grotesquely skewed, and made much larger. The creature howled, teeth bared as it tackled one of the Hork-Bajir, claws trying to find purchase in the alien's scaly skin. The Hork-Bajir responded in kind, using its blade-like claws to slice deep into the wolf-thing's furry flesh.

The battle repeated half a dozen times, screams and roars filling the air. Cassie backed up from the carnage, her wolf morph's ears shifting about as she attempted to find out where the attackers had come from.

(We need to find Jake!) she exclaimed.

(I agree,) Ax replied. He gestured with a frail arm towards a break in the trees. (Perhaps we should-)

Before he could finish, a massive shape fell from the sky, kicking up a spray of mud as it landed. Smoke sputtered out from behind the attacker, and it rose to its feet, easily standing eight feet tall. As the thing's face became visible, Cassie gasped. It was a _man_ , albeit one clad in grey and yellow armor that looked like that of a knight's, if knights had access to advanced technology. Warpaint adorned his face, and Cassie could discern the outline of an eight-spoked wheel on his forehead.

The man glared down at her and Ax with what could only be described as excitement, and he raised a massive sword over his head. The blade, easily as long as Cassie was tall, whirred to life like a chainsaw.

"Blood," the man frothed, spittle flying as he spoke. "Blood for the blood god!"

* * *

 **A**

* * *

 _Back with the others_

Visser Three's new morph roared, an unnaturally hoarse bellow, and Jake found the willpower to run. He dashed between the trees, Marco hot on his tail, not stopping to see how much distance he had put between him and the Visser. Tobias swooped over his head, frantically flapping his wings as he went into overdrive. There was the sound of trees snapping and splintering, and Jake realized that Visser Three was in pursuit.

(Okay, I'm officially freaking out now,) Marco said. (Visser Three is even scarier than before, and now he has some buddies invading for him. Just what the hell is going on?!)

(We can talk about that later!) Jake snapped. (For now, we need to find Cassie and the other. Tobias, can you find Rachel?)

(Probably,) the _nothlit_ replied. (I'll need a distraction, though, unless I want to be on the menu.)

(No problem,) Marco said. He cocked his head slightly in Visser Three's direction. (Hey, Slughead! Your mama's so dumb, she got hit by a parked car!)

(I DON'T EVEN KNOW THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT, BUT I'LL STILL KILL YOU FOR IT!) The Visser was gaining speed, knocking aside trees like they were barely even there. So caught up in his charge, he didn't see the red-tailed hawk flitter out of sight. (I GAVE HIM MY ARMY; THIS IS THE LEAST HE CAN DO TO REPAY ME! WHEN I'M FINISHED WITH YOU, YOU'LL BE BEGGING FOR DEATH!)

(Well, that worked better than expected,) Marco remarked wryly. He titled his head slightly to Jake, making sure to still see where he was going. (Are you getting tired, man? I don't know how much longer I can keep this up?)

(Tell me about it,) Jake replied. He bounded over a boulder, not even slowing his stride as he continued to dash through the forest. (Tigers aren't marathon runners; I'll won't be able to keep running forever. Same goes for you.)

(Yeah, and that's when we follow in Elfangor's footsteps.) Marco was breathing heavily now, his movements more sluggish. (We need to get out of sight or something, but how?)

That was when a spear suddenly flew over their heads, shortly accompanied thereafter by the sound of flesh being sliced open. Visser Three roared in pain, threatening to burst their eardrums. Turning around, they saw that the spear had lodged itself neatly in the Visser's eye. Phosphorescent blue blood trickled from the wound, staining the forest floor wherever it fell.

"Jake! Marco!"

Turning to the source of the voice, they saw Toby Hamee dropping down from a tree, another spear neatly clutched in her hand. The young Hork-Bajir gestured towards a break in the trees.

"You must hurry!" she said, urgency clear in her voice. "Come!"

They didn't hesitate for a second. Gathering as much strength as they could muster, they ran for the break in the trees, Toby falling behind them.

(Toby, do you know what's happening?) Jake inquired. (We're still in the dark here.)

(Unfortunately, as am I,) the Seer replied. (We were preparing for the attack on the bunker when they came. Monsters in all shapes and sizes, some of which looked almost like wildlife, but... distorted, somehow. My fellow Hork-Bajir have been trying to hold them off, but it is not going well.)

They were out in the clearing, now. Cassie and Ax had arrived as well, both of them looking worse for wear. Cassie's wolf morph had a large cut in its right hind leg, and Ax was bereft of an eyestalk.

The young Andalite was the first to take notice. He stood at full attention, even as dark blue blood dripped over his mouthless face. (Prince Jake, Marco, you are alive.)

(Just barely,) Jake replied, panting heavily as he fell to his stomach. (What happened? How did you get wounded?)

(Cassie and I were attacked by a man in armor,) Ax replied.

(Wait, what?) Marco asked. (Like, a knight?)

(No,) Cassie interjected. (He was... I don't know how to describe it. It was like something out of a video game or some sci-fi movie; he had weird emblems and sigils on it, but it looked advanced.)

( _Very_ advanced,) Ax nodded. (My tail blade nearly broke hitting the man's breastplate. I didn't know you humans had such military technology.)

(We don't,) Jake replied. (None of that makes any sense. Like, at all.)

(To add to your confusion, he was wielding some sort of metal blade weapon, which he used with great enthusiasm,) Ax said. He glanced down at his tail blade, coated in dried red blood. (Unfortunately for him, he lacked a helmet.)

(Ugh,) Marco said. (I thought this talk would make me less confused, not more. Earth is getting openly invaded by guys who aren't Yeerks, Visser Three got an upgrade, and you guys got maimed by a knight with futuristic armor? Just what the hell is happening?)

(I wish I knew,) Cassie said. She rested on her stomach, trying to lick at her leg wound. (Where's Rachel and Tobias?)

(Up here,) a voice replied. Rachel descended to the ground in morph, Tobias at her side. (Did you guys see those dudes with armor? And the werewolves? Looks like we have more butt to whoop.)

(Werewolves?) Marco threw up his hands in exasperation. (Okay, now I'm officially lost.)

(Are you sure they weren't just big wolves?) Jake asked.

(Pretty sure. Toby's guys are fighting them right now, but they aren't doing so hot against the dudes with armor. Some of them have big guns that make an M60 look like a bb. I also could've sworn I saw a few giant robots around the place.)

(What about Visser Three? Is he still looking for us?)

(In the wrong direction,) Tobias replied. (I don't think that'll last, though. We should get into fly morph and retreat, try and figure out what's happening.)

"What about my people?" Toby demanded. "They are getting _butchered_ by monsters and mechanical men who wield weapons beyond even the Yeerks. Are you to just abandon us?"

(She's right,) Cassie said. (We can't just leave them to die.)

(I say we shift to full-out battle morphs and flatten as many we can until the Hork-Bajir are able to run,) Rachel said. (These guys are going full-out, right? Why hold back when there's nothing to lose anymore?)

(Well, Jake?) Marco asked. (You're the boss. What are we gonna do?)

Jake shifted uncomfortably, which was rather impressive, considering he was still a four hundred-pound tiger. (I think we-)

Before he could finish, the tree line behind them practically exploded into a spray of splinters, forcing them to duck. Turning around, he saw that Visser Three was standing in the clearing, still in battle morph.

(Time to die,) the Visser growled.

Toby hefted her spear, and the others prepared to either fight or flee. Jake rose to his feet, still panting. There was no way they could hope to take down Visser Three in battle morph, and most of them were either too tired or wounded to run.

That didn't mean, however, that they would just roll over.

Visser Three roared again, and charged. Jake found himself doing the same, Marco trailing behind him. Ax ran to his right, tail blade held high, and Cassie dashed to the left. Tobias and Rachel soared overhead, talons raised.

"Free or dead!" Toby bellowed, hefting her spear as she ran after them.

Jake's heart pounded in his chest as he rapidly cleared the distance between him and Visser Three. A roar escaping his throat, he leapt as high as he could-

-and everything froze.

Visser Three loomed over the group like a macabre statue, drops of spittle and blood suspended in midair. Slowly, as though guided by some unseen hand, Jake found himself lowered to the ground. Taking in ragged breaths, he looked around the clearing. The entire world, save for them, had frozen in place, locked in time.

"What is going on?" Toby inquired, wildly looking about. "Why is everything stuck?"

"That would be my doing," someone said. It was a rather jovial voice, one Jake was familiar with. There was a soft glow of light, and a man appeared before the group, floating in midair. At first glance, one might have mistaken him for a wizard from an old story, with the long white beard and flowing robes. There were differences, however, which served to remind everyone that he was not human, like the soft blue light emanating from his skin.

(Ellimist,) Jake said.

"What is an Ellimist?" Toby asked.

"That would be me," the robed man replied. "You and I have never met face to face until now, though I have played an important role in your past. Jake and the others have met me before."

(Yeah,) Marco said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. (I remember last time. Let me tell you, getting gutted by Howlers is _fun_.)

"I am sorry if you suffered any lasting harm from that last adventure," the Ellimist replied, his voice sincere. "There are, however, more pressing matters at hand."

(The invasion,) Jake said. (Do you know what's going on? Why aren't you doing anything?)

The Ellimist sighed. "Unfortunately, I cannot do much to help you or your people. My power is great, but not infinite. I am one with the fabric of the universe, but these foes are not of it."

(Whoa whoa whoa,) Marco said. (Are you saying these guys are from another universe or something?)

"They are from several others," the Ellimist replied. "Our universe is just but one of a near-infinite web of realities, each one different. Some are only slightly different, others are unbelievably so. These beings from other universes are, to put it in a term you would easily understand, outside of my jurisdiction. I cannot directly affect them, and indirect methods may only worsen the carnage. As hard as it may seem to believe, Crayak and I are not the only gods around."

(Shit,) Rachel muttered. (Are you saying you can't help us?)

A weak smile graced the Ellimist's thin lips. "Who said anything about that? Though I cannot simply dismiss these invaders with a flick of my hand, that does not mean I am unable to aid you. There is a growing force that opposes this vile army, and they will need your help." His face fell as he continued. "There is... _something_ lurking throughout the throng of realities, a cancer on the multiverse itself. I fear that this entity is what has orchestrated your world's downfall. I will do as much as I can to lessen the suffering of your world, but I fear the worst."

"Who is leading these monsters?" Toby asked. "What is the evil plaguing us all?"

"That will be for you to learn," the Ellimist replied. "Time is of the essence, I'm afraid. Even now, gods bear down on you, hoping to destroy you before you can oppose them. You and the Free Hork-Bajir shall meet with the forces opposing them as soon as possible."

Something shimmered to the right of the Ellimist, manifesting as a perfect circle. A hallway could be seen through it, like the ones aboard ships.

(Are we going to another universe?) Tobias asked.

The Ellimist nodded. "You must hurry," he said. "We can only hold the portals open for so long."

Jake moved to step inside, then paused. (We?)

As if to answer, something appeared to the left of the portal, that which Jake never hoped to see again. It resembled a dinosaurian creature, but with a wrinkled face like an old man, twisted into a mocking smile.

"I wouldn't stop to ask questions," the Drode said. "My master realizes that he can't win the game if both players are dead."

(The Ellimist and Crayak are working together,) Marco muttered in disbelief. (It really is the end of the world.)

With that, he stepped through.

Cassie went next, followed by Rachel and Tobias. Ax and Toby paused to look at Jake, then stepped through the portal. They stood on the other side, waiting for him to cross through.

(It really is that bad, isn't it?)

"I wasn't lying when I said this threatens all that is. Please, hurry."

(Who told you about this whole thing? You sound like you aren't part of the other worlds, so who let you in on what's going on?"

The Ellimist smiled. "Let's just say I have eyes and ears in places you wouldn't believe."

Jake considered the Ellimist's words, then stepped through.

The hallway was cold and musty, as though someone had abandoned it for years. Looking both ways, he saw that it extended for as far as the eye could see, with signs in English and some other language marking various rooms. Looking towards his group, he saw that Cassie and Rachel were already demorphing, while Marco stared at something across the portal.

(Is everyone all right?) Jake asked.

"I'm fine," Cassie replied, the last tufts of fur disappearing. She was graceful while morphing, unlike the others. An _estreen_ , according to Ax. She shivered, wrapping her arms about herself. "It's a bit cold, though."

"This is all so very confusing," Toby said, scratching at her beak with a long claw.

(Tell me about it,) Tobias said.

(Uh, guys?) Marco pointed at the portal. (Is that what I think it is?)

Jake turned in time to see the portal closing, cutting them off from their world and everything they knew. For the briefest moment, however, he saw what was on the other side.

Two figures walked towards them, each in stark contrast to one another. One was a graceful-looking woman, with hair and skin the color of snow; a goddess carved from marble and given life. She was devoid of clothing, but there was nothing sexual about her, nothing to invoke shame or lust upon those who saw her perfect form. She was beautiful the same way the moon or the sea was beautiful, and nothing else.

The other was a massive hulk of a man, impossibly large, with dark skin that had an almost rocky texture to it. If the woman at his side was like the finest alabaster, smooth and flawless in form, then he was granite, rough and uneven.

What struck Jake most about him, however, was his eyes. Devoid of pupils, they glowed red like dying embers, boring right into Jake's soul. Those red eyes were the last things he saw before the portal finally closed, and they still seemed to be staring at him even as he turned away.

(Did that guy look like-) Marco began, only for Jake to silence him with a look.

(We can discuss that later,) he said in private thought-speak. (We don't want anybody freaking out, okay? In the meantime, let's check this place out.)

With that in mind, he began to demorph. It was a strange sensation to feel bones and muscles shift without pain, but it soon faded. Rising to his feet, he shivered involuntarily. Without the warm coat of his tiger morph, he could appreciate just how cold it actually was in the hallway.

"Where do you think we are?" Cassie asked. "I know we're in another universe, but where? A ship?"

"That's about right."

At once, they all turned to the source of the voice, tensed for a fight, only to find a rather unassuming-looking young man. The man stepped back from the group, raising his hands defensively. A green flashlight was clutched in one hand, illuminating the nearby wall.

"Easy now," the man said. His features were a mix of various ethnicities, but he looked like he belonged to none of them. "Tanj it, you all look like you're about to rip my throat out. Dealing with Speaker's bad enough..."

"Who are you?" Jake demanded. "Where are we?"

"To answer the second question, we're aboard the _Red Dwarf_ ," the man replied. "Not the prettiest ship, but she'll do. The original guys onboard let us borrow it on the condition that we help them get to Fiji after all of this. I heard they're planning on setting up a hotdog shop."

 _Fiji?_ Marco mouthed.

(Hotdog shop?) Ax murmured. (Fiji sounds like a marvelous place.)

"Are you the leader of the good guys?" Cassie asked.

The man furrowed his brow. "That's what we're getting called now? Guess it's pretty true, with how tanjing nasty the other guys are. Anyway, I'm not the leader; I just have the best people skills."

"Finding that really hard to believe," Marco retorted.

The man shrugged. "You'll understand once you meet the rest of the group." He gestured for them to follow. "Come on; they're in one of the meeting rooms down the hall. Try not to get lost. This ship was so big that an entire civilization of cat people developed onboard and promptly exterminated each other."

(Is this guy for real?) Tobias said in disbelief. (Is the Ellimist doing some really complicated prank on us or something?)

"I'm not sure, but I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this," Jake muttered in reply. Despite his reservations, he followed after the man. Toby and the rest filed behind him, wary of their surroundings.

"By the way, my name's Louis," the man said. "Louis Wu."

* * *

 **Ω**

* * *

 _Aboard the_ World Maelstrom

"Reports coming in from planetside are as expected, my lord," an Astartes captain said, bowing his head slightly before his Primarch. Clad in silver and golden armor engraved as to look like a violent storm, the Astartes would be a towering presence among men, but he himself seemed like a child before the figure that loomed over him. An apt analogy, considering they were of the same flesh.

The Primarch of the Eleventh Legion, however, was far above his kin; to compare him to an Astartes was to liken a man to his primitive ape-like ancestors in Olduvai. Even without his heavy combat armor, he seemed to fill the room with his massive bulk, his neatly-trimmed hair nearly brushing against the ceiling of the hall. His skin was unnaturally pale, to the point that a web of blue veins could be seen crisscrossing him broad face, and there was a glint to his eyes that seemed to spark with before unseen intensity.

"Casualties?" Barachiel inquired, arms folded behind his back as he looked through the viewport. Though they had swung into the shadow of the planet, the outlines of the continents were still visible. To find a city, one just needed to spot the flames.

"We have lost twelve squadrons," the captain replied. "Three of those were killed when the _R_ _ossiyskaya Federatsiya_ managed to down one of our landing shuttles with a nuclear warhead, though we destroyed Novosibirsk in retaliation. We also experienced relatively surprising resistance from the United States due to their aircraft and armor, but it only took a few hours to secure their major cities."

"Good," the Primarch replied, turning to look down the hall, away from the Astartes. "You are dismissed."

The captain bowed once more and hurried to regroup with his brothers. The Primarch waited a few moments, then headed to his throne room. The twin doors that served as the room's entrance were thirty feet high and wrought from the finest steels old Terra had to offer; he pushed them open with casual ease as he walked into the vast chamber that had served as a meeting room for the past three years.

The others were waiting for him, already making themselves comfortable. The White Woman leaned back casually in one of heavy chairs around the large round table that had been set up in the Throne Room, while Visser Three was trotting about in the corner. The Primarch crinkled his nose with disgust as he saw the Andalite Controller; though the xeno was his ally, he did not like working with such filth.

The leader of the group, however, did not content himself with the furniture the Primarch had intended for him to use. No, he sat upon Barachiel's throne itself, a satisfied smile on his stony countenance as he noted the flash of anger across the demigod's face.

"All hail the conquering hero," Darkseid said, folding his hands across his chest and sinking further into the throne. "Another world taken into the fold. You should be celebrating with your sons, reveling in another victory, not discussing the next steps with us."

"I have you to thank, with your armies of daemons and great beasts," the Primarch retorted. "Besides, such campaigns have ramifications to discuss. There will be resistance movements across the planet for months, most likely longer. It would be much simpler to perform an Exterminatus instead of allowing the natives to rebel."

"Such distain for the lives of your siblings," the White Woman said, her voice almost inaudible. Crimson eyes locked with Barachiel's own, completely unreadable. "I wouldn't be so unkind to my children if I were you."

"Don't kid yourself," the Primarch snarled. "You have rendered entire worlds lifeless with your psyker witchcraft-"

"I have returned them to my welcoming embrace," she interrupted, placing a hand over her breast. A dull red glow began to emanate from the woman's alabaster chest, and Barachiel could see light flickering about her perfect form. "You drive them away, sending them into further pain and loneliness. If you do not wish to join them, I suggest you bite your tongue."

(Is this how all meetings must go?) Visser Three asked in exasperation. (You bicker like the Council of Thirteen, arguing semantics while the real battle looms over your heads like a tail blade poised to strike.)

"Don't dictate terms to me, xeno _filth_ ," Barachiel growled, feeling his psyker energies flowing within as he glared at the Andalite Controller. "I don't see why I shouldn't have your silly-looking head mounted on a pike for all to see!"

(I''VE EATEN BIGGER THINGS THAN YOU!) the Visser shrieked, flesh bubbling as he began to morph.

"Enough."

The room immediately fell silent when Darkseid spoke. Even the White Woman, who had been watching the argument with an amused look on her face, tensed noticeably as the former lord of Apokolips rose from his seat, his hands folded behind his back. Barachiel withered under Darkseid's stare, finding his eyes focused on the floor. He knew the New God's power, seen what destruction he had wrought. As powerful as he considered himself to be, challenging Darkseid would be tantamount to suicide.

"I apologize, my lord," the Primarch said between clenched teeth.

"Good. It would be a shame to take command of your legion directly when I could focus more on the bigger picture." Darkseid smirked as he spoke, as if daring Barachiel to challenge that statement. "The world will be pacified enough for us to move onto the next target within three days. Then, we shall decide which world to attack next."

(The Animorphs escaped me, and the Escafil device is nowhere to be found,) Visser Three said. (Not to mention the ever-lurking Andalite fleet. Once they learn of what has happened here, they will most likely try to liberate the humans from us.)

"Let them try," the Primarch growled. "I'll wipe out every one of those xenos if they dare to come within a parsec of here."

"You and your army will be needed elsewhere," Darkseid replied. "The Andalites won't come; they care not for what happens to the humans. Said apathy will be increased considerably when the Yeerks disappear."

(What do you mean by that?!) Visser Three demanded.

Fire licked around the New God's eyes, casting long shadows in the room. The Visser shied away before Darkseid's gaze, swishing his tail blade nervously. As soon as it came, however, the flames disappeared, only to be replaced by a smirk.

"There will be no need to conquer interstellar space," Darkseid continued. "If you pledge your Empire to me, I shall give you a thousand Earths to plunder. A million, if need be. Do you accept such an offer, _Emperor_ Esplin?"

A few seconds passed as the Andalite Controller considered the offer, his eyestalks absentmindedly flicking about. Finally, he straightened.

(That will be suitable.)

"Splendid." Darkseid gestured towards the doors. "I will have my parademons escort you with the boomtubes to... further cement your position. Be sure to return within the day."

(Of course.) The new Yeerk Emperor bowed his head, then left the room. Barachiel watched him go, then turned to the rest of the group.

"Now that he is out of the way," he began, "where shall we go next? We're finally starting to move up from backward Earths that would be honored to be called feral. Are we to target the more technologically advanced Earths next?"

"Not just technologically powerful," Darkseid replied. "Worlds with powerful individuals. I have singled out a likely candidate for the next attack that has both."

"Do you mean the one with countless mutants?" the Primarch inquired. "I believe it also has a powerful xeno, does it not?"

Something flashed across the New God's face, and Barachiel reflexively backed away, his hand towards his greatsword. The White Woman perked up as well, ready to leap from her seat if need be. Her normally serene face was twisted with disgust, and the Primarch realized that he had put himself in a very dangerous position.

"We are not ready for _her_ ," Darkseid said, his voice frighteningly low, like the rumbling of thunder in the distance. "I sacrifice enough power as is to keep the other worlds at bay; I will not throw away what I have left to challenge that one. We will move when the time is right."

"We will go after that _thing_ , that mockery of my sacred form," the White Woman said, her voice still barely above a whisper. "But we must wait first, if we truly want victory to be ours."

"What then?" Barachiel asked, still wary.

"It is a world with technology and weapons more advanced than this one," Darkseid replied. "It is one of those unfortunate Earths to have been given both Seeds of Life."

The White Woman straightened at that, an almost _hungry_ look in her eyes. "Do tell more," she purred. "It isn't every day we find more of those worlds. I ache to return them to my bosom and free them from their suffering.

"It's filled with false men, then," the Primarch huffed. "Xenos shaped into the human form."

"My _children_ ," the White Woman snarled, rising from her seat. "You shall not decry them as such, unless you wish to learn what such "false" beings can do."

"I would advise against that," Darkseid said. "You can subsume them for all you like, but I shall need the Primarch and his army for something else."

"Oh?" Barachiel asked. "What more shall I do, when that psyker witch will handle everyone else?"

"The world is linked to another, filled with even more advanced humans that are not born of the Seeds," replied the New God. "But they are not my main concern. It is the monsters that stride beside them, much like the one we encountered on our previous conquest. A handful of them wield enough power to destroy half your army, and one in particular is... problematic."

"What manner of monster are you speaking of?"

A smile graced Darkseid's stony face. "Have you ever heard of Gojira?"

* * *

 _ **You have been reading:**_

 _ **CRISIS, Chapter One: The Invasion**_

* * *

 **A/N: Chapter Two will have some more perspective switches as both sides prepare for the coming battle, and then it's time for some more action!**


	3. Chapter Two: Gathering

**Previously on**

 **CRISIS**

 _The night grows darker with every passing moment. Expecting a typical raid against their enemies the Yeerks, the Animorphs instead find themselves in a hellish scenario. Horrific enemies have come from the stars and beyond, putting their world to the sword, and their old foes are more dangerous than ever before._

 _It is only through the combined intervention of the Ellimist and Crayak that the Animorphs, along with Toby Hamee and her Free Hork-Bajir, are able to flee to another universe, finding themselves aboard the_ Red Dwarf. _There, they meet with the forces of good gathered throughout the multiverse, who plan to stop Darkseid from conquering the entire multiverse._

 _While they prepare, however, the New God plans on taking on yet another world, a broken one that has only begun to rise from the ashes. But Darkseid shall not underestimate it, for great Men and Monsters alike stride the earth, protecting it from anyone who may dare bring it harm. He shall have to go against the might of_ _The King of the Monsters himself if he wants the world to be his._

 _When Darkseid wants something, however, he ofttimes gets it..._

* * *

 **A**

* * *

 _Aboard the Red Dwarf_

The so-called "meeting room" was nothing more than a repurposed mess hall, Jake learned. One of the long tables had been laid out, while the rest had been hastily shoved against the walls as to avoid cluttering, many of them near some huge metal box of sorts. There was a trio of figures sitting around the table, deep in conversation, and Jake realized with a sinking feeling in his chest that they probably the entire resistance. Only one other appeared to be human; the other were utterly alien in shape. One of them, Jake noted, even appeared to have two heads.

"We've got some more guys here to help us," Louis announced as they stepped inside. "Does anyone care to introduce themselves? Nessus? Speaker?"

One of the figures at the table raised his head at the name, and Jake had to resist the urge to jump back. 'Speaker' bore an uncanny resemblance to an upright tiger, albeit with a stockier appearance. A naked tail writhed behind him, almost like that of a rats, and he seemed almost poised to strike as he looked up. A pair of ears unfolded from his furry head like Chinese parasols, and Jake could see the intelligence behind his eyes as he spoke.

"You have fetched more meat, Louis?" Speaker inquired, flashing a pair of white fangs. His voice was slurred somewhat, most likely due to having a different jaw structure from humans. The Hork-Bajir had similar problems, Jake remembered.

"Very funny, Speaker," Louis replied sardonically. He turned back to Jake and the others, folding his arms across his chest. "Sorry about that; his humor's not like ours."

"Who said I was making a jest, Louis?" Speaker said, rising from his seat. Fully upright, he towered over everyone in the room, which only served to make him more intimidating. His all-too-intelligent eyes scanned Jake and everyone behind him like a piece of meat. "Apologies for the introduction; I am not in the best of moods. My title is Speaker-to-Animals, if you care for formalities."

"Uh, you can call me Jake if you want. The other, er, humans behind me are Marco, Rachel, and Cassie. The hawk's name is Tobias, the blue alien is Ax, and the brown alien is Toby."

"Why does the hawk have a name?" Speaker asked.

(Why don't you?) Tobias retorted.

Speaker seemed taken aback by the fact that an animal had just snapped back at him, but seemed to dismiss it quickly. Jake found himself wondering just what the group had encountered to warrant such a non-reaction.

"Because kzin earn their names by proving their worthiness," Speaker replied. A low growl escaped his throat as he spoke, like he was going to attack at any moment, but he sat back down. "I will earn my name a thousand times over once this task has been completed."

"Now, who wants to introduce themselves next?" Louis drawled, clapping his hands together. "Rimmer, maybe? He's always wanting to yap about himself."

"He and the original crew are elsewhere." Speaker made a chuffing sound, most likely of annoyance. "The creature called Cat is grooming himself, while Lister and the android are looking for more of that accursed vindaloo."

"Well, guess that leaves only three others."

The two-headed alien warbled in some language, then rose to its three feet. Its body was almost like a goat or cattle animal, but with a single hind leg tipped with claw-like hooves. A pair of serpentine necks supported unusually small heads; almost like that of a python, but with a single eye deeply set in each.

"You may call me Nessus," it replied. Jake felt a tingle run up his spine at the alien's voice; it was like that of a seductress or sex symbol, not a bizarre-looking creature.

"Ya know, I'm pretty sure Ax would fit that name better," Marco muttered.

The third figure rose as well. He was an older-looking man, dark-skinned, with a neatly trimmed beard. For clothing, he wore a red tunic or robe with plates of black armor sewn in, and a turban adorned his noble brow. What caught Jake most, however, was his eyes. There was _something_ about them, neither their shape nor color nor anything he could discern, that struck more terror into his chest than even Speaker's predatory gaze.

"There are many names you may call me by," the man said, retrieving some tobacco from a pouch on his belt. "For convenience, however, you may simply call me Yama."

"Like the Hindu god of death?" Cassie asked.

Yama nodded, nimbly rolling up a cigarette as he did. Lighting it, he took a deep puff and exhaled, letting the smell of smoke fill the room. "Yes, that is the case."

"You aren't actually the god of death or something, right?" Marco asked. "Because after everything we've seen, I'd probably believe you if you said yes."

"The short answer is no; I am not a god in the sense you would understand it. What defines a god, however? That is something that would take too long to answer. For now, we must focus on what is before us."

(You mean trying to save the universe,) Tobias said.

"Every universe," Louis corrected. "Still gets to me every tanjing time I think of it. Speaker, Nessus, and I were heading back from the Ringworld when we wound up making the initial group-"

"Wait, did you just say Ringworld?" Cassie asked.

Louis furrowed his brow. "You know about it? That doesn't make any sense."

"Does anything make sense since we have begun this task?" Speaker asked. "We found ourselves plucked from our native universe and given the mission to save it along with an infinite multitude of others. We do not even know the name of our benefactor, nor do we know exactly what we are going up against."

"The kzin is right," Nessus said. "Everything is already maddening as it is. I fear that the answer will only worsen it."

"Tanj right it will," Louis replied. He turned back to Cassie, a concerned look on his face. "There's a book about the expedition? Your world hasn't even developed ramscoops yet, let alone invent the hyperdrive-"

"Buy," Speaker interrupted.

"- _buy_ the hyperdrive," Louis continued, briefly glaring at the large kzin standing nearby before focusing once more on the new group. "Tanj, you aren't even in the same universe as us, how can you know about the expedition?"

(Maybe some of the universes are fictional to each other?) Tobias offered. (Like, maybe your adventure is a book in our universe, and our adventures are books in someone else's?)

"The possibility seems likely," Yama said, casually twiddling with what remained of his cigarette. "I have been looking through the Brahman at the other worlds, and some of them evoke old legends from lost Urath."

"You mean Earth, right?" Marco asked.

Yama shrugged slightly, crushing his cigarette butt underneath a sandaled foot. "A name is a name; that which is behind it is what matters."

"Thanks, Yoda," Marco muttered.

"So, it's basically possible that there is a universe where, I don't know, Star Trek exists," Rachel said.

"Never heard of it," Louis said.

"It's still a good point," Rachel retorted.

"Amazing possibilities, then," Toby murmured.

(I must agree with that sentiment,) Ax said. (If there are universes with human stories as reality, what about Andalite, or Hork-Bajir?)

"Well, the Hork-Bajir do seem like the best damn storytellers in the universe, even though they seem as dumb as a bag of rocks at times," Marco said. "We can talk about that when we aren't worrying about dying. Hey, Wu-dude, didn't you say there was someone else here?"

"Well, he's a bit grumpy," Louis began, only to be interrupted by a loud din to the side.

Jake and the others turned in time to see the metal box _get up_ , rising on a pair of stubby legs as thick as tree trunks. A pair of titanic mechanical arms emerged from the sea of benches and chairs; one a cannon of sorts, the other tipped with massive claws that seemed to crackle. Stretching to its full height, the thing was easily more than fifteen feet tall, which only made the fact that it was waving its arms around even more frightening.

"Well, shit," Rachel said.

The mechanical _thing_ turned to face the group, hydraulics hissing as it did. Flexing claws longer than a man is tall, it began to speak in a loud booming voice.

"WHO WAKES BJORN?"

"Well, we got new friends for the fight," Louis replied, fidgeting uncomfortably. The others, Jake saw, were also uneasy in the thing's presence; Nessus had even curled up into a ball nearby, trembling slightly.

The boxy machine turned slightly to look at the new arrivals, revealing what appeared to be a coffin of sorts in its center face. "MORE XENOS JOIN US, I SEE."

(Do you have issue with that?) Ax inquired.

"NO," Bjorn replied after a moment's pause. "THE IMPERIAL TRUTH IS NOT LIMITED TO MAN; IF YOU ARE HERE TO HELP US, THEN YOU ARE HERE TO STAY."

"That's good to hear," Louis said.

"JUST ONE THING." Bjorn leaned forward, or as much as a giant robot-thing could lean, looming over the group. Looking up at the machine, Jake couldn't help but feel that it would teeter over at any moment and crush him.

"NO WOLVES. NO ASKING ABOUT FELL HANDS. ABSOLUTELY NO ASKING FOR 'STORY TIME'. IF YOU FOLLOW THOSE THREE GUIDELINES, THEN WE WILL GET ALONG BEAUTIFULLY. IF NOT, THEN YOU'LL LEARN WHAT IT IS LIKE TO ANGER A DREADNAUGHT. AM I CLEAR?"

"Yep," Jake said. The others agreed unanimously, trying to scoot away from the maddening thing before them.

"GOOD." Bjorn turned to the table, absentmindedly flexing his claws. "NOW, WHEN SHALL WE BEGIN TO ACTUALLY FIGHT?"

"We still aren't ready," Louis replied. "Tanj, we still know next to nothing about _what_ we're up against."

"OF COURSE WE DO," Bjorn boomed. "WE HAVE SEEN THE FORCES WITH OUR OWN EYES AND VOX RECORDERS. THE FORCES OF CHAOS ARE ON THE MOVE, TRYING TO LAY WASTE TO EVERYTHING THEY CAN GET THEIR GRUBBY CLAWS ON."

"Actually, I think it's more than that," Jake said.

When everyone turned to look at him, he explained what he and the others had seen, including the two figures closing in on the portal. Speaker and Nessus revealed no emotions on their alien faces, as did the expressionless metal of Bjorn's coffin, but Jake could see the growing concern on Louis and Yama's.

He finished, and the room fell quiet for a few moments, as if to grasp the full gravity of his words. It was Yama who finally broke the silence, rolling up another cigarette as he spoke.

"This is worse than I feared. The struggles I shared with Sam over the decades on my own world trifle in comparison to what we face, like a gentle rain against a swirling tempest. When I used my Attributes and creations to look through the Brahman, I never realized what dangers truly lurked within. If this threat is what you say it to be, then there is more to be done if we are to achieve victory."

"You mean to seek more alliances, instead of waiting for them to come to us," Nessus said, a head peeking out from underneath. "Truly, you are mad if you are willing to risk being attacked by unfriendly universes in hope of finding an ally."

"Your opinion holds little matter here, leaf-eater," Speaker growled. "If you were in charge of this expedition, we'd all be hiding in balls, waiting for the enemy to kill us."

"I have the tasp, kzin," Nessus warned. "And though my experience in battle is nonexistent, I know General Products technology the best."

(Maybe we should focus that negative energy on the guys who deserve it,) Tobias offered.

"Negative energy is only a theory," Speaker retorted.

(Wait, wha- no, never mind. Just make sure you're hitting the bad guys instead of your teammates.)

Speaker clicked his tongue thoughtfully. "That is sensible. It also requires us to find and fight the enemy."

"That shall be done soon enough," Yama said. "It should not be difficult to find the enemy's main force, now that I know what to search for within the Brahman. Fighting them, however, is another matter altogether. Even with the weapons we have made by pooling our knowledge together, we still cannot stand against what waits for us, and I doubt our newest arrivals can fully turn the tide."

"Hey!" Marco protested.

"Unfortunately, he's right," Cassie said. "I mean, we failed to fight them off, didn't we? We need more help if we want to win next time around."

"AND MORE HELP YOU SHALL RECEIVE," Bjorn rumbled. "AS LONG AS A SINGLE ASTARTES STANDS, CHAOS SHALL NEVER PREVAIL."

"We're going to need more than that, big guy," Louis said, patting the Dreadnaught's shin. "We need heavy firepower. _Really_ heavy firepower."

"I concur," Speaker said. "Who can provide such firepower, however?"

"I believe I have already found someone that can be of service," Yama replied, taking another puff of his cigarette. "I have watched her world intensively since I began to search through the Brahman, and I have reason to believe she would be willing to help. It should be a simple matter to contact her via that altered hyperdrive of yours; I'd advise sending someone over as well."

He took one last puff of his cigarette, then gestured for Louis to follow after him. "Come, let us make haste. The others shall stay here and continue other preparations."

Jake watched as the two men left the mess hall, then turned to Marco. "She?" he mouthed.

"Just who the hell are they talking about?" Rachel asked aloud.

* * *

 **S**

* * *

 _Earth Bet_

"Superwoman!" I heard someone in Tokyo cry.

I was there in the blink of an eye, leaving the new gang in Murmansk for the local authors to handle. The person who had called for me was a boy, no older than thirteen; judging by the ragged clothes he wore, I surmised that he was one of the many refugees still living in poverty after Leviathan sank Kyushu all those years back. A group of thugs had cornered him in the alleyway, drawing around him as to prevent escape. As soon as they saw me descend from the sky, however, they all tried to run.

Emphasis on _tried_.

After nearly six years of heroics, I still wonder why criminals try to evade or fight me. It was more acceptable when I started out and no one knew who I was, but after the fights with Behemoth and his siblings, and especially after Scion, you'd think they'd learn to just surrender and get a lighter sentence. Just another part of being human, I guess.

It was over with in a heartbeat. Once I had them all secured, I turned my attention to the boy. His heart rate was elevated, and I could smell the adrenaline coming off of his cooling skin, but he otherwise seemed all right.

"You okay?" I asked in Japanese.

The boy nodded, an awestruck look in his eyes. "Y-yes."

I allowed myself a small smile. "That's good to hear. Be more careful when you head out, okay? Make sure you have a buddy, travel when it's bright out, and don't be afraid to go to the police. Do you want me to take you home?"

The boy nodded, eyes still wide. Gently hoisting him into my arms, I flew to the nearby apartment building. It wasn't hard to tell where he had come from; I could still see the faint infrared trail his body heat made when he left. In an instant he was back at the door, and I made sure he got in safely before flying off again.

Making a mental note to bring up the refugee crisis at the next League meeting, I then began to use my senses to search the other Earths for signs of trouble. Earth Aleph flickered before my eyes, followed by Gimel, Dalet, and Shin. It was still hard to do, even after so many years, but I could tell that it was getting easier with each go.

There. A fire going on in Dalet-Leningrad, close to the city center. I flew to the portal in my Earth's St. Petersburg to handle it, then did some more work in Dalet-Europe before heading to Aleph-Africa.

I continued on with my daily routine, stopping crimes and accidents around my Earth and the alternates as I flew around. Earthquake in Shin-Madrid. Attempted mass-shooting in Aleph-Boston. The list went on and on; handling one Earth had been bad enough, but the responsibility of handling _four_ had never gotten easier over the years.

Thankfully, I had help.

After one brief layover in Bet-Brockton Bay to help a kid retrieve a lost balloon, I headed straight up, listening to the wind howl past my ears as I speeded up, only for the sound to die down as I broke free of the last vestiges of atmosphere.

Up in the thermosphere, where I'd have to strain my hearing to pick anything up, I could enjoy some peace and quiet. I had done it plenty of times before, just to ease up on the stress of the job, but it was not why I was there again.

The Watchtower, as Dragon had decided to call it, hung over the blue orb like a silvery trinket, all smooth curves of strange metal that glittered in the sunlight. It was once a Kryptonian colony ship that I had made into a personal base, but now it was the headquarters for the biggest cape team on any Earth. We had started with just a few members, many of them only part-time, but it grew quickly.

The airlock was open for me as I flew towards the ship. Dragon had set it aside for Leaguers that could survive in the vacuum of space, like myself, as to cut down on lengthy transfer time between ground stations and orbit. I stepped inside the airlock, feeling a sudden tug of gravity, and felt the ship rumble slightly as the door shut behind me. There was a rush of air as the airlock pressurized, then the door opened.

Amy was waiting for me as I stepped inside the Watchtower, a smile on her face. She had grown alongside me, a young woman now. Her costume had changed as well; she had gotten rid of the hood, and the robes were more like a loose tunic as to make it easier to move about while in uniform.

"You're later than usual," she said, folding her arms across her chest.

"I was busier than usual," I replied, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "Saving lives, helping people, that kind of thing."

Amy chuckled. "How long are you going to keep using that excuse?"

"It's worked pretty well so far," I replied with a grin. "Anything happen while I was gone?"

"There has," another voice cut in.

Turning, I saw Colin walk towards me, one of Dragon's public synths following after him. Even after five years of working with him, he still managed to make an intimidating sight in his uniform. The main part of the suit was a mirror match of mine, but colored a dark grey. A symbol representing a stylized bat replaced the usual sigil, and his cape was pitch black in color. A helmet completely obscured his face, with glowing white lenses where his eyes should be.

"You rarely come up here as the Batman unless something's wrong," I said, frowning slightly. "What happened?"

"Not exactly sure," he replied. "It was Dragon who found him."

"Him?" Amy asked. "What are you talking about?"

Dragon stepped forward. "Just fifteen minutes ago, I detected a strange surge of energy in the Watchtower's greenhouse section. When one of my drones arrived, I found a man in strange clothing. He's in one of our holding cells right now."

"Parahuman?" I asked.

Dragons shook her head. "I did a basic body scan while escorting him to the cell. No sign of a shard connection. There is something strange in his blood, but it's definitely not something involving powers." She sighed before continuing. "He claims to be from yet another Earth, and it appears he's telling the truth."

I narrowed my eyes. "Something tells me that's not the worst thing."

"It isn't," Colin interjected, a grave tone in his voice. Seeing the look on his face through his helmet, I suddenly felt nervous. "He also claims that everything is in danger. And he means _everything_."

* * *

 **S**

* * *

The cell was a preexisting room from the colony ship, meant to house the crew while they terraformed. A clear sheet of Kryptonian plastic served as a barrier, keeping the man inside from escaping.

Not that he was trying. He seemed to content himself with sitting on the cot, calmly watching us through the plastic. His clothes weren't like anything I had seen before; there was something odd about them, like they were from some sci-fi show. Dragon had confiscated something that looked like a flashlight, but could be focused into a fairly strong laser. Tinkertech, perhaps.

The man himself seemed to be the ultimate blend of humanity, with features from a plethora of racial groups. Tan skin, dark hair and eyes, a slight epicanthal fold to his eyes, and a vaguely European facial structure. He looked no older than twenty, but I could see the age behind his eyes.

"Last time I picked up a comic book, you were a bit different," the man said. He turned to Colin, giving him a brief once-over. "You? Not as much."

"Who are you?" I asked, ignoring his statement for the time being.

"My name's Louis Wu," he replied, folding his hands across his lap. "I'm a Flatlander."

No change in body temperature or heart rate. If he was lying, then he was good at hiding it. And that name... it had to be a coincidence.

"What's a Flatlander?" Dragon inquired. "Is it a term from 'your Earth'?"

"Yah," Louis replied. "It means I'm actually _from_ Earth. The name came around because it's our only planet with a flat-looking horizon."

"Your Earth has colonized other worlds?" Colin asked.

Louis nodded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Well, there's Wunderland, We Made It, Jinx, Margrave... I can talk about that later, though. I'm here about something else."

"You're talking about the threat to our Earth," I said, frowning slightly. So far, he was still telling the truth, which was _really_ disconcerting.

If he wasn't lying, then that meant I was talking to a man that, just a half-hour ago, was fictional as far as anyone knew.

"It's not just your Earth," Louis replied. "It's my Earth, and everyone else's. _Everything_ is at risk because of a bunch of tanjing futzers going from universe to universe and conquering Earths. I was sent here, as the best people-person in our motley crew, to get your help. You'd be the powerhouse on the team, that's for sure."

"How do you know about me?" I asked. For some reason, I found myself dreading the answer.

"What, that you're the last of the Kryptonians, sent here to protect the Earth and be a symbol?" Louis leaned back, and I could see that he was also a bit disconcerted. "I read comic books while studying Prewar Culture in university. You were still popular before the ARM started revising history."

"Just what the fuck are you talking about?" Colin snarled, stepping towards the plastic.

Even with the nigh-indestructible plastic separating the two, I could see Louis's heart rate spike. Nonetheless, he managed to project a calm look as he leaned forward, looking Colin right in the eye.

"I'm saying that, where I come from, you and Superwoman there are fictional characters. Superheroes from pulp comics, stretching back to the 1930's. Well, there were some differences. For one, it was Batman and Super _man_. You two were cultural icons for _centuries_." He looked at Dragon, his eyes narrowed. "Never recalled reading about someone like you, though."

Colin huffed and opened his mouth to reply, but I beat him to the punch.

"He's right."

"You can't be serious," Colin said, turning back to me. "Do you really believe the crap he's spouting about fictional universes?"

"Five years ago, the world was pretty certain it was alone in the universe, and that we'd never learn the truth about souls," came my reply. "You have lie-detecting equipment. What does it say?"

Colin fell silent, his jaw clenched. His equipment had also determined Louis was telling the truth, then.

Dragon stepped forward, arms folded over her chest as she studied the enigmatic man across the plastic from us. "That compound in your blood is boosterspice, isn't it?"

Louis nodded. "Looks like the thing about fiction is mutual, huh? Someone else mentioned the Ringworld expedition a bit back, but this pretty much confirms it."

"It seems so," Dragon said. "If you are from another universe, one that resembles a fictional story, then how did you get here?"

"Modified hyperdrive. The actual device is back with the others, but I came with coordinates on that comm device you confiscated."

"We're actually going with this, then," Colin said, trying to rub his forehead through his helmet. "I'd say this is insane, but I think I've dealt with crazier."

"Protecting the multiverse... again," I muttered. Raising my chin, I turned to Dragon. "Get Legend and Chevalier over to the meeting room ASAP. We need to do something about this."

"If you do, you better hurry," Louis said. "What we're up against won't wait."

* * *

 **Ω**

* * *

 _Aboard the World Maelstrom_

Barachiel leaned forward, knuckles pressed into the table as he looked over the holomap. A chain of islands was laid out before him, lush with vegetation. What drew his eye the most, however, were the small structures clustered on the southern end of the largest island.

"The stealthed probe sent these images a few hours ago," he said. "I don't see what gives you so much concern about it. If you wish to dispense of these monsters and their false human allies, why not simply blast them with our orbital lasers before they even know it?"

"Two reasons," Darkseid replied, his tone gravelly as he stood across the table from the Primarch, arms folded behind his back. "Firstly, killing everyone on this planet defeats the purpose of the invasion. You get more stock for your Marines, the Yeerks receive more territory and hosts, and in turn I shall grow even stronger as they are subsumed into my will."

"Of course, you shall get them from the world the 'monsters' come from," the White Woman said. "The children birthed from the Seed of Knowledge shall be mine."

A nod. "Naturally."

"And the second?" Barachiel inquired impatiently.

The Lord of Apokolips glared up, and the Primarch felt a chill run down his spine as he stared into the lifeless eyes of the New God. There was something behind them, Barachiel saw, something full of _hate,_ and he had to repress the urge to avert his gaze.

"Secondly," Darkseid continued, a steel edge to his voice, "you cannot kill what lurks below with simple orbital bombardment. If you scour their world with fire, they shall rise from the rubble and ash, with only a thirst for vengeance in their hearts. These are not the demons and xenos you slaughtered before. They are more than mere beasts, Primarch. They are forces of nature given flesh, charged with protecting all they survey. We shall have to fight them directly if we are to obtain victory."

Barachiel darted his eyes back to the holomap. "Yes, of course."

"I'm glad you understand," Darkseid said in a mocking tone. "Now, the three creatures of the highest concern are on that island. We encountered one of them on the previous contest, before it was spirited away to this world. It is a stubborn manner of beast, one that refuses to give in to its wounds, and I sense that its full strength is returning."

"We've wounded it before," Barachiel said. "I still remember its pitiful cry as its arm was torn asunder."

"That was before. The power of fate flows through its veins, giving it strength. Now, it shall soon be like what it once was, rivaling even Gojira in strength."

"Gojira," the Primarch muttered. "You speak of it like it is death itself. What manner of beast could wield such power? My Librarians have found nothing on such a creature."

"He has many names," Darkseid replied. "Godzilla. Leviathan. Jormungandr. He is a monster that can wield the power of the atom itself, a beast that no mere army can slay. He is the King of the Monsters, and he has earned that title time and time again with blood and fire. Do not take him lightly, or you shall learn his fury firsthand."

Barachiel looked down at the holomap, trying to discern the thing's form through the water. "I shall bring down my entire strike force on the monsters, as well as the Titans. Now, what of the third thing you speak of?"

"It would be more accurate to call it a man," came the rumbling reply. "He wields a vast reserve of power, but has only once before used the full extent of it."

"He is a fusion of both Fruit, then," the White Woman said. "A god, like me, but he refuses to acknowledge it."

"An abomination," Barachiel muttered.

The White Woman's crimson eyes shot upwards. "Keep to your monsters, Primarch; the boy is mine. I shall steal his godhood and soul from him before I do the rest to his world, making them one with me."

Darkseid straightened. "I shall prepare my own forces for the assault. The new Yeerk Emperor has returned from his sojourn, has he not?"

"He arrived half an hour ago, smug as ever," Barachiel replied. "He's feeding in his Kandrona chamber right now, I believe."

"Good. Tell him to get his forces ready; we strike within the day."

* * *

 _ **You have been reading:**_

 _ **CRISIS, Chapter Two: Gathering**_

* * *

 **A/N: Chapter Three is on its way. BRACE FOR EPIC.**


	4. Chapter Three: All Out Attack, Part I

**Previously on**

 **CRISIS**

 _Another world is under threat at the hands of the evil forces led by Darkseid. Countless worlds have already fallen to his armies and those that chose to ally with him, feeding into his unholy power. Now, he sets sights on two linked worlds, one of which holds great interest to the White Woman._

 _This time, however, he shall find a tougher struggle, as he goes up agains the atomic fury of none other than the King of the Monsters himself. And, as he prepares to release his nightmarish forces on the unsuspecting world, the motley crew of heroes go to gather a new ally, one who can match the New God on even footing. Taylor Hebert, also known as Zara Jor-El, the Last Daughter of Krypton..._

 **Superwoman.**

* * *

 **==/*\==**

* * *

 _Chichi-jima, (E)Earth, one day later_

"This is getting nowhere," Levi said in a low tone. Armin and Eren sat at either side of him, equally dour looks on their faces. "You know that something's coming for everyone here, and you decide to _talk about it_. Every second you spend here is another second you could be using to prepare for what's coming, and another second those bastards get to use against you."

"We don't _know_ anything," Commander Gordon replied, burly arms folded over his chest. "We know you're telling the truth; Miss Saegusa managed to prove that much for you, but we have no idea just _what_ attacked your world. In military terms, fighting an enemy you don't have information on tends to end very poorly."

"We know what attacked our home," Eren growled, straining against his plastic handcuffs as he leaned forward. "They killed nearly all of our friends and enslaved everyone who wasn't dead! If you don't do anything, the same will happen to you!"

Gordon found himself gripping his katana as he stared back at the boy. From what he'd been told, the boy could easily bring the complex down if given the chance to transform. If push came to shove, he wouldn't give him that chance.

"He's right, Eren," Armin interrupted, his voice a half-whisper. "You saw what they managed to do to you, to _Gamera_. If they charge in blindly..." He fell quiet again, eyes fixated on the small stone in his hands.

Gordon leaned back in his seat, rubbing the back of his neck exhaustedly. "That kaiju of yours seems to be a tough one; I have a knack for telling. Comes with experience; you don't get to become leader of an organization that fights giant monsters if you know nothing about them. If the... things led by that red-eyed man managed to hurt that Gamera thing like that, then we need to be careful. There's nothing you can tell us that can help with that? Strengths, weaknesses, motives, anything?"

He was answered with silence.

"Well, since you have nowhere else to go, you should stay here for safety." Gordon rose from his seat, slinging his katana over his shoulder. "If it's as bad as you say it is, then it'll be for the best if you're on this island when the shit hits the fan."

"Are you going to uncuff me?" Eren inquired, his voice strained.

"After what Miss Saegusa learned about your ability? It'd take a few more head injuries before I'd be dumb enough to let that happen. Once we've deemed you a non-threat, then you can be released."

With that, he walked out of the holding cell, the door sliding shut behind him. Misato was waiting for him, arms folded across her chest.

"Anything?" she asked.

Gordon shook his head. "They don't seem to know what hit them, only that they had lost before they even knew a fight was going on. If what that Armin boy is saying, about that same force coming for us... we're gonna need to be ready."

"Any word from upstairs about preparations? Maser tanks, aircraft, maybe bring in the _Gotengo_ ; I could go for anything that would help."

"Well, there's still Godzilla," Gordon replied half-jokingly. "Shinji's a pretty big deterrent as well."

"He's still a kid, you know," Misato said. "I know he'll put himself out there, but he's earned his rest a hundred times over."

Gordon sighed. "I know. That's why he's the last resort. I had his mother and friends brought up here, along with Asuka; I don't think he'd forgive us if they got hurt in whatever clusterfuck is coming for us."

Misato relaxed a bit, leaning against the wall. "Where is he right now, anyway?"

"Last I heard, he's taking a walk to clear his head. Pretty stressful to be around here; it's only natural he'd do that."

* * *

 **==/*\==**

* * *

 _Elsewhere_

The moon was low on the horizon, casting a silvery sheen over the calm waves as Shinji walked along the beach. The jungle was to his right, filling the air with the calls of birds, and he could make out the silhouette of mountains in the distance. Apparently, the kaiju called Gamera had taken up roost there, nursing his wounds. Godzilla had interacted with the giant terrapin a few times; so far, it appeared that the two were actually getting along. Anguirus had been rather curious as well, though Rodan had kept his distance.

Shinji paused, taking in the smell of the seabreeze. Little under a year ago, it had been dead, devoid of the scents that sea life gave it. Now, with the help of the EDF, the world was beginning to mend like never before, the scars of old slowly fading away. He wondered what it would be like in another year, and a smile crept upon his face at the thought.

It would be nice to see his mother and Asuka again after a week on the island with such troubling matters at hand. Taking in another deep breath, he decided to head back to base. From what he'd heard, they'd be arriving in a few minutes, anyway.

As he turned, however, he realized there was something new in sight. A bright point of light in the sky, second only to the moon itself. Blinking a few times, he realized it had _definitely_ not been there before.

On closer examination, he realized that it was _moving_.

Shinji suddenly found himself to be nervous. He stared at the point in the sky, watching as it slowly moved over the band of stars that was the Milky Way. Was it possible that what Armin and the others said was true? Was an army of dark forces bearing down on him and the others right now?

A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead, and he realized that his fists had clenched. He needed to get back to the others _now_. As he moved to run, however, he realized he wasn't alone.

From under the light of the moon she came, walking over the waves as though they were solid earth. Her skin and hair were as white as pure chalk, her body perfectly sculpted. It was as though someone had breathed life into an statue of a goddess, carved from only the finest marble. She was completely nude, but there was nothing sexual about her appearance; her beauty was not one of lust. Blood red eyes stared into Shinji's own, seeming to peer into his very soul.

"Tsk tsk tsk," the woman clicked, daintily stepping onto the white sand and tapping her chin with a delicate finger. She stepped closer to Shinji, eyeing like a piece of meat. "Such a waste of potential, of _beauty_. You should feel ashamed of yourself for such selfishness, Shinji Ikari."

Her voice was barely above a whisper, as if she could barely stand to speak. A shudder ran down Shinji's spine, and he stepped away from the woman before him. A flash of recognition sparked in his mind as he studied the alabaster form of the woman; it was just like Rei, when she had become Lilith once more. The features were different, more European in appearance, but the sense of _wrongness_ still lingered at the back of his mind.

"W-what?" he managed to blurt out. "Y-you know my name."

"I would have to be quite the fool indeed if I couldn't remember," the woman replied, circling about him. "This is a recurrence for me, meeting you. Oh, the circumstances change. Maybe it's in the heart of Tokyo-3, or on that lifeless beach with the ocean of blood lapping at your feet. But the underlying truth behind it never changes, no matter how many times I do it."

There was a flash of light, and Shinji was in his arm, glaring at the woman behind burning yellow lenses. He could the initial shock wear off, and he tensed for a possible fight.

"Who are you?" he demanded, feeling a surge of anger rising in his chest.

The woman seemed to find the display more amusing than anything else. Chuckling softly to herself, she raised her arms to the sky. An AT-field flickered into life over her head, a manifestation of her will.

"Allow me to introduce myself once more, Shinji Ikari. I am the end of all things."

With that, she lunged.

* * *

 **Ω**

* * *

 _Aboard the Stormbird_ Fulgur

"We're entering the troposphere, my lord," the pilot reported, hands deftly moving over the controls as he steered the dropship to the surface. "ETA for landing is five minutes. We've received reports of automated batteries attacking the other landing craft."

"Have the _Maelstrom_ use orbital lasguns to slag those emplacements," Barachiel commanded, a hand on his sword. "They might be primitive, but they're also effective."

"Yes, my lord," came the swift reply.

The Primarch of the Eleventh Legion turned to the rest of his gathered Astartes in the dropship. They were all in various stages of preparation; some were in the middle of fine-tuning their bolters, while others were sharpening their chainswords. Most of them looked like typical Astartes, with the usual furbishments unique to individual legions, but some were... _changed_. Violent and heretical symbols adorned their faces and armor, and he could see the look of bloodlust behind their eyes, feel their hatred with his own psyker talents.

He crinkled his nose at the sight, but said nothing. After what he had learned, he knew that the Emperor was a liar, but there was still that old residual dogma burning into his mind. Chaos could corrupt his Astartes, as long as they remained mostly loyal to him, but he knew not to trust the promises of the false gods in the Warp.

There was one last rumbling as the dropship slowed down, then he could feel it settle onto the ground. The hatch opened up, and his Astartes poured out into the jungle of the island, weapons raised. He was the last to exit the Stormbird, the craft lifting considerably as his massive frame lurched down the ramp.

It was still nighttime out, but his own superior eyesight could easily navigate the darkness as he moved through the jungle with surprising gracefulness. Already tall clouds of smoke were rising in the distance, most likely from where the _Maelstrom_ had destroyed the defensive batteries. The ground rumbled, followed by a flash of white white beyond the hills, and the Primarch realized that the White Woman was hunting her quarry.

He dismissed the thought from his head, however. Darkseid and the Yeerks could handle the military forces of the planet; he would handle the horrific beasts that inhabited the island. If they were half as dangerous as the so-called "New God" described them to be, then it would be for the best.

"What is our current status?" he spoke into his helmet's vox.

"We have unloaded more than half of our dropships' payloads," an officer back on the _Maelstrom_ replied.

"Make sure we're fully unloaded by five minutes, or I'll have your skull adorning my throne room," Barachiel growled.

The palm trees and low-lying brush gave way to white sands as he cleared the top of some hill overlooking the bay. Already he could see his Assault Claws dropping from the sky like rain, depositing more of his Astartes to secure the island. A Land Raider rolled into view, crushing several trees underneath its treads. A second joined in, followed by a third.

Barachiel paused, then put a hand to his helmet. "Have the Titans landed yet?"

"Yes, my lord," a voice crackled through on the vox.

As if on cue, the two Imperator-Class Titans made themselves known, the ground trembling with each ponderous footfall of the mighty war machines. Each one was over seventy meters in height, the largest war machines ever used on land. Both Titans were armed with Hellstorm Cannons on one arm and Doomstrike Missile Launchers; such firepower could level a medium-sized city in under a minute.

There appearance was most timely. Already Barachiel could see the water in the distance churning violently, a massive swell forming in the middle of the bay. Unsheathing his titanic scimitar, he glared at the form swimming beneath the waves.

"When this is all over, I'll take its skull for my throne room," he muttered to himself.

There was a flash of blue light, bright enough to temporarily damage his helmet's sensors, and the water exploded upward in a spray of white sea foam. A gargantuan shape rose from beneath the waves, thousands of tons of seawater cascading off its charcoal scales as it lurched towards the beach. The creature was absolutely massive, easily exceeding even the Titans in height, and the Primarch could see the steely muscle rippling beneath its hide. A pair of fiery orange eyes glared at the army assembled before it with what could only be described as contempt. Opening its jaws, the beast howled, an unearthly sound that threatened to damage Barachiel's vox receivers.

Godzilla, King of the Monsters, had awoken.

"Fire," Barachiel commanded.

* * *

 **A**

* * *

 _Aboard the Red Dwarf_

Ax leaned forward in his human morph, a look of utter fascination on his face. "Describe this hotdog shop to me once more. Ore. Ra."

"Well, it's pretty simple, really," Dave Lister replied, pouring himself some more vindaloo from the massive bowl he had placed on the table. Already it had dropped to the halfway mark. "I'd set it up at a nice beach on Fiji, and sell all the types of hotdogs to tourists and such."

"I did not they sold more than one type of hotdog. Dog. Uh. How many are there? T-t-there. Er."

Lister leaned back, his brow furrowed. "Let's see... there's chili dogs, cheese dogs, chili cheese dogs, bacon dogs..." He prepared to "list off more, only to realize that Ax was drooling profusely onto the table.

"Is that it? It. Tuh," Ax inquired.

"Uh, I'll tell you later," Lister said hurriedly, slowly moving his vindaloo away from the ravenous Andalite. "So, when are you actually going to go off and fight those smegheads?"

"I don't know. There is much confusion regarding the matter; even Prince Jake lacks information. Shun. Nuh." Ax reached for his own bowl of vindaloo and refilled it, only to drain it five seconds later and move to refill it again. "When we do move, however, my tail blade will never be clean. The Yeerks have gone on for too long, and they cannot be allowed to continue. Yoo. Ooh."

"Well, best of luck to you," Lister said, rising from the table and heading to the doorway. "I have to go now; Kryten thinks the Cat is storing hairballs in one of the supply closets, and Rimmer's too much of a smeghead to go take a look."

"Goodbye. Eye," Ax called, watching Lister go. Once the formerly last human was out of sight, he turned to rejoin the rest of the group. Jake and the other Animorphs were helping Bjorn with the screws on one of his arms, while Speaker and Nessus were discussing something in a harsh-sounding tongue. Yama was elsewhere, most likely looking through the so-called 'Brahman'.

Bjorn the Fell Handed turned slightly, nearly bowling Marco over. "YOU SEEM TO BE WELL-VERSED IN MECHANICS, YOUNG XENO," the Dreadnaught boomed. "WOULD YOU BE SO KIND AS TO HELP SECURE THE POWER-CLAW? I DON'T WANT IT FALLING OFF WHILE I'M GUTTING A DAEMON."

"Daemon. That is a term for a human mythological creature," Ax said, stooping under the Venerable Dreadnaught's arm as to examine the bolt in question. "I thought they were simply a legend. End. Duh."

"WELL, THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY FUCKING NOT," came the bellowing reply. "I LOST MY ARM TO ONE OF THEM, BACK WHEN I WAS IN THE DARK ABOUT THEM LIKE YOU ARE NOW. THEY ARE THE SINGLE GREATEST THREAT TO THE IMPERIUM OF MAN, MANIFESTATIONS OF THE WARP ITSELF. IN OTHER TERMS, THEY'RE REALLY FUCKING NASTY."

Ax reached for one of the wrench-like tools, then began to secure the bolt in the ceramite plating. "There seems to be many differences between our worlds. Suh."

"INDEED," Bjorn boomed. "IT PAINFULLY REMINDS ME OF THE DEPLORABLE STATE MY OWN WORLD IS IN. OVER THE COURSE OF TEN THOUSAND YEARS, I HAVE WATCHED THE IMPERIUM I FOUGHT TO HELP CREATE SLOWLY TURN TO SHIT, BECOMING A FUCKING PARODY OF SOMETHING OUT OF A DYSTOPIAN STORY. I USED TO READ OCCASIONALLY; THERE WERE STILL SOME DOCUMENTS FROM BEFORE THE GREAT CRUSADE. NOW THOSE BOOKS ARE LOST FOREVER."

"Well, maybe not _forever_ ," Cassie offered, patting the Venerable Dreadnaught on the shin. "I mean, think of the possibilities infinite Earths could bring. Maybe you could find those stories again, or maybe even find a way to save your own world. Wouldn't that be good."

"PERHAPS."

Toby crouched underneath Bjorn's other arm. "I wonder if there is a world where my people were never enslaved by the Yeerks.

Ax finished securing the bolt, then turned to his friends. "Maybe there is a world where we exist, but never met. Et. Tuh."

"Maybe there's one where you don't keep up with that "earth minutes" baloney," Marco muttered.

(You know, that Louis guy has been gone for an awfully long time,) Tobias interrupted, turning his hawk morph's head as to glare at the wisecracking Animorph.

"I've noticed that, too," Cassie said. "Do you think he's in trouble?"

"If this mysterious warrior is as good-hearted as the deathgod claims, then I doubt it," Toby replied. "It's possible that he's just having trouble convincing someone that a bunch of fictional villains are conquering the multiverse."

"OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE." Bjorn swiveled to speak at the Hork-Bajir's sole remaining Seer, nearly taking out the wall with his Power Claws in the process. "THIS IS WHY WE DON'T SEND THE MOST NORMAL LOOKING HUMAN TO DESCRIBE A SITUATION THAT'S COMPLETELY OUTLANDISH. IF YOU DROPPED ME INTO THEIR LAPS-"

"They would break?" Ax interrupted.

"I CAN'T TELL IF YOU'RE BEING A SMARTASS OR JUST A NAIVE XENO."

"This is getting nowhere," Cassie said. "I'm sure we can wait a little bit longer for Louis to come back with help, right?"

That was when Yama burst into the room, a grim look on his face. The deathgod surveyed the room with troubled eyes, then sighed. "There's trouble."

"You just _had_ to jinx us," Marco muttered.

Speaker raised his head, a low growl escaping his throat. "The enemy is attacking another world."

A nod. "It is a strong world, but I don't believe even they will last against such forces. If they are able to grow stronger while simultaneously ridding us of powerful allies, then we may face a harsher struggle than before."

"What are we going to do, then?" Toby inquired.

"Based on what my devices have told me, it appears that Louis is speaking with the warrior, but by the time he convinces her it may be too late."

"You intend for a stalling action," Speaker said. "Holding the line until Louis can return with reinforcements. It is rather risky, considering that they could simply overwhelm us."

"Risky? That's just crazy!" Marco blurted out. "You saw what they did to our world, and you want to just go off on a suicide mission?"

"At this stage, it's the best option we have," Yama replied. "Even if Louis fails, we still may be able to recover some of the powerful beings from the world currently under attack. Sitting here will only worsen the situation and possibly doom us."

"Then we shall fight," Speaker rumbled. "I long to smell the blood of my enemies."

"My warriors shall fight as well," Toby said. "We will live free, or we shall die. Either way, we will be no one's slaves."

"I can get on with that," Rachel said, cracking her knuckles. "How about you, guys? Tobias? Marco?"

Marco sighed. "It's pretty crazy, but I know I'm outvoted. Count me in."

"My sentiments as well," Nessus wailed, a head tucked under his body. "Only the maddest would attempt something like this."

"It is good that you are in good company, then," Speaker said.

"I will follow you, Prince Jake," Ax said. "As will the others. Suh."

Jake looked at his friends, then took a deep breath. "Those bastards have hurt us enough as it is. They destroyed our world and everything we cared about. Why not return the favor?"

"WHAT OF THE ORIGINAL CREW OF THIS SHIP?"

"Better smeg than dead!" a voice cried from one of the hallways.

"It looks like we're settled," Yama said. "I'll send the coordinates to Louis's communicator. Hopefully, he'll be able to do something about it. In the meantime, let's get geared up for battle." With that, he strolled out of the room.

"ABOUT BLOODY FUCKING TIME," Bjorn bellowed. "IF I DON'T CRUSH AT LEAST ONE TRAITOR MARINE'S HEAD IN BY THE END OF THIS, I'LL BE PRETTY FUCKING DISAPPOINTED."

"Well, this is gonna suck," Marco said.

Nobody bothered to correct him on that.

* * *

 **==/*\==**

* * *

 _Chichi-jima, (E)Earth_

As soon as the command went out, the gathered Astartes forces fired all at once, aiming at the colossal form of Godzilla. The trio of Land Raiders let loose with a salvo of heavy bolt-shells, accompanied by a veritable storm of autocannon fire and laser beams. The Titans lurched forward, blasting the dinosaurian kaiju with their own formidable weaponry. All in all, it was enough firepower to overwhelm almost any fighting force the 31st Millennium could put out.

Godzilla roared furiously in response, and charged forward with a speed that belied his massive frame. Bolter rounds and cannon fire thumped off his hide, obscuring much of his upper body in smoke and flame, but seemed to otherwise do little to harm him. He waded through the gunfire like it was hardly even there, marching with purposeful intent. His fiery orange eyes surveyed the army laid out before him with indignation, and a low growl escaped him.

Man's mightiest armies had fought him before, and lost. This time would be no different.

Raising a clawed foot, he brought it down on one of the Land Raiders that had underestimated his speed, crushing several unfortunate Astartes as well. The adamantium chassis flattened like a tin can, and a muffled explosion sounded out from underfoot. Snorting in satisfaction, he moved to take out the other tanks.

That was when the Titans stepped in, weapons raised. The largest war machines to ever walk the Earth opened fire point blank, bombarding Godzilla with a flurry of laser beams, missiles, and cannon shells. This time, the kaiju king actually snarled in pain as the Titans forced him back, granting him no reprieve from their awesome firepower. Brazened by the scene, the Astartes redoubled their own attempts to wound the beast, peppering him with bolt-shells.

Barachiel snorted as he watched the scene unfold. The creature was tougher than usual, but it was nothing before the might of his Legion. Once it was dead, he could move onto more urgent matters, such as securing the planet.

Suddenly, a blue light began to shine through the smoke occluding Godzilla's body, actually forcing the Primarch to briefly shield his eyes. As they adjusted, he realized that the brilliant glow was coming from the beast's dorsal spines, brightening with every passing second. A low groaning sound began to fill the air, and Barachiel watched as the kaiju breathed in deeply, sucking in the smoke over the battlefield.

Before the Primarch could figure out just _what_ was happening, Godzilla fired. A blinding beam of azure light blasted out of the beast's maw, catching one of the Titans in the shoulder. The void shields held for a few seconds, then gave way in a crackling flash of violet light. The beam pushed on, slagging away the adamantium armor of the Titan, then shot through the other side. There seemed to be a brief pause as the beam cut off, then the Titan's arm fell to the ground, crushing a dozen Astartes underneath.

Barachiel's eyes widened. _No._

Godzilla whirled about, catching the Titan in the chest with his tail. The war machine stumbled back, the armor on its flank crumpled inward, and wobbled to regain balance. Its twin moved to fire at Godzilla, but the beast beat it to the punch by lunging forward, smashing a clawed fist into its cathedral head. There was a sound of groaning metal, and the war machine's chest caved in, revealing its mechanical innards.

As Godzilla continued to rip the Titan apart, the Primarch could see something else emerge from the sea, lurching forward. It was a head shorter than the kaiju king, with leathery grey skin crisscrossed by bioluminescent teal lines. The body shape bore little resemblance to anything terrestrial, with an ancillary pair of arms protruding from its chest and a head shaped almost like an axe. Opening its horrid maw, it revealed a faint glow emanating from its throat as it bellowed a challenge.

Barachiel's vox crackled to life. "I have sent you part of my army to handle Gojira while I focus on the other Earth. _Do not_ disappoint me."

"I don't hear anything on your side," the Primarch said. "Are you still on the battle barge?"

"Only a fool leads his army into battle." With that, the vox cut off.

Cursing, Barachiel focused again the battle. More of the creatures emerged from the sea, chittering and growling in alien tones. No two looked alike; some had only small differences in body structure from the first one, while others bore more insectoid or ape-like shapes. They almost seemed to pour out of the dark ocean like a horde of locusts; the Primarch could easily count over a dozen of them bearing down on their target.

Godzilla finally took notice, or finally decided the issue to be more pressing; Barachiel could not tell which. Whirling about, the kaiju king fired his beam again, hitting one of the new creatures in the face. There was a moment of give, then the monster fell to the ground, a smoking stump where its head used to be. Two more of its kin suffered similar fates before the horde closed in on Godzilla, swarming him.

They would not find easy prey. The King of the Monsters roared in fury as the monsters claws tried to find purchase in his scaly hide, then lashed out with a clawed fist, braining one of them in a spray of blood and torn flesh. Rearing up, he shrugged one of the smaller creatures off of his back, then brought his tail down on it, pulping its torso with a crunch of splintering bone. His dorsal plates flashed blue again, and he blasted a hole through the chest of another creature, killing it instantly.

It wasn't going anywhere, however. For every one he blew apart or dismembered with his claws, another would take its place. To further worsen his plight, the Titans were getting back to their feet, guns leveled at his chest. With a deafening roar of thunder, they opened fire with full salvos, hitting the kaiju king dead on. Several of the alien monsters were blasted to pieces in a spray of blue blood, but the weapons did their damage, blowing shallow craters in Godzilla's chest. Radioactive blood trickled from the wounds, only for them to seal up as the kaiju's regenerative abilities went to work.

Barachiel watched as Godzilla was forced back by the combined assault. The kaiju was starting to weaken, if only by a little bit, and it would only be a matter of time before he was overwhelmed. Gripping his sword tightly, the Primarch marched towards the battle, his psyker powers flaring within. Once Godzilla was dead, he would take the beast's head as a trophy; it had certainly proven worthy of such an honor.

Suddenly, the King of the Monsters surprised him again. Godzilla's spines flared, as if to fire his beam, only for the glow to spread to the rest of his body. Before anyone could react, the pent-up energy exploded outwards in all directions, a massive pulse of blue light that seared into the Primarch's eyes. Several of the alien creatures dropped to the ground, their charred flesh smoking, while the others retreated away, blue blood oozing from their own wounds.

With the bizarre monsters out of the way, Godzilla focused his attention on the Titans. Firing again, he blasted a hole straight through one's cathedral, detonating it in a burst of fire and shrapnel, then strafed the other across the chest, slagging its already damaged armor. With a low groan, the most powerful war machine to walk the Earth fell forward, decommissioned.

"Enough of this," Barachiel growled.

He strode towards Godzilla, channeling his psychic might. Though he could never hold a candle to his brother Magnus or his father in terms of skill, he had a fair share of raw power within him. Enough to handle this beast, he reckoned, though it would leave him dangerously weakened. Accessing his full power, he doubled in size with each stride, until he could come up to the beast's waist. Warp-lightning crackled about his sword, and he lunged at Godzilla, cutting a shallow gash across the kaiju's chest.

Godzilla roared in pain and stumbled back, steam rising from his wound. The surviving alien creatures chose that time to renew their assault, attacking him from all sides, trying to find purchase in wounds that were still healing. Godzilla roared again, moving with a speed that seemed impossible for such a large beast, and lashed out at his attackers with renewed vigor. A clawed fist caught the Primarch in the chin, shattering the ceramite casing and forcing him to stumble back, dazed.

Dorsal plates glowing, Godzilla let out with the pulse attack again, blasting away the surrounding monsters and vaporizing a number of Astartes on the ground. A low growl escaping his throat, he punched clean through an alien's creature's chest, then hoisted it over his head and ripped in in half. His tail lashed out, snapping a monster's neck, and blew off another's arm with his beam. One of the bioluminescent kaiju attempted to stab him in the throat with a barbed tail, only for Godzilla to catch it and spin about, flinging the creature over the mountains.

Barachiel staggered forward, feeling warm blood trickle down his chin. The beast's strength was impressive, but ultimately futile. More and more of the alien creatures were rising from the waves, and the Primarch could feel the Warp-energy flowing through him as he prepared to join the fray once more. He would slay the beast himself, expenditure of strength be damned. Raising his sword high, he lunged forward-

-and was promptly smashed into the ground by a fireball.

Barachiel blinked away the fog of pain, and rose to his feet, wincing. The right flank of his armor was smoking, the immaculate etchings singed by intense heat. Turning to the source of the attack, he saw more fireballs smash into his Legion, vaporizing dozens of Astartes with each blast. The alien creatures briefly halted to assess the new threat, allowing Godzilla to shrug them off and back away.

Something flew in from over the mountains, spinning rapidly as blue flames fanned out in all directions. It suddenly stopped in midair, flames pointed to the ground, then dropped with alarming speed, crushing a Land Raider under its colossal bulk. A cloud of dust rose from where the new arrival fell, only to fan out as the creature emerged. Emerald eyes surveyed the beach with what could only be anger, and an elephantine wail rolled over the island, cowing the battlefield into silence.

Gamera, the Guardian of the Universe, had arrived.

Barachiel watched with a sinking heart as the titanic terrapin stomped towards Godzilla. The kaiju king snorted with satisfaction, and his new ally gave a small nod in return as they closed in together. There was a brief moment of what seemed to be communication between them, then they turned to face the Legion together. Fiery orange eyes locked in on Barachiel, as did emerald.

The Primarch tightened the grip on his sword, seething with fury, and charged, the alien kaiju following after him. The surviving Astartes joined their Primarch in the charge, weapons raised.

Godzilla and Gamera watched the approaching army advance forward, and tensed for battle. The two most powerful kaiju in the world stood side by side, ready for the forces of evil that would assail them. They would stand against their foes united.

The King and the Guardian would fight together.

* * *

 **S**

* * *

 _The Watchtower, Earth Bet_

The cell wall opened up, sliding into the ceiling, and Louis lifted his head to look at me. Dragon and Colin stood at the side, their faces grim.

"Is something wrong?" the Flatlander asked.

I responded by tossing him his communicator. He looked it over, then read the new data with widening eyes. Though he tried his best to exude an air of calm, I could hear his heart rate spike as the realization hit him.

"That possible situation you were describing? Scratch off 'possible'."

Louis looked back to me, clenching the communicator hard enough for his knuckles to turn white. "Is that proof enough for you?"

"We're leaving as soon as possible. Dragon's preparing the portal based on the coordinates your friends on the other side sent us." I sighed, rubbing my temple. "I'm sorry it took so long to believe you, Louis. Let's get going before it's too late."

"Well, I guess I can't blame you," he replied, getting up on his feet. There was still an edge in his voice. "Who's coming along?"

"Batman, Dragon, Panacea, and me."

Louis cocked an eyebrow. "That's it?"

"You're getting the most powerful capes on the planet," Colin retorted. "We still need to protect our home as well."

"That may be," Louis admitted, "but once you see what we're up against, you might change your mind."

* * *

 **==/*\==**

* * *

 _Chichi-jima, (E)Earth_

Gordon staggered into the control center, coughing as smoke began to flood the room. Through the windows he could see another flash of light, followed by a tremor that threatened to bring down the building.

"What the hell is going on?" he barked.

"We have no clue, sir," a technician replied. "Something appeared in orbit and took out our defensive batteries. Comms are down as well, and the portal appears to be closed."

 _Fuck, those kids were right all along,_ Gordon thought to himself. "What's the status of the flier coming in?"

"It landed intact before comms went down, but that may have changed."

"Alright," Gordon rumbled. "Initiate evacuation protocols, get to the shelters!"

"What about you, sir?"

Gordon unslung his katana. "I'm going for the flier's passengers."

"Alone?" another tech asked.

"No," he replied. He paused, thinking of a plan, then lifted his head. "Can you unlock the cells from here?"

* * *

 **Ω**

* * *

 _Aboard the World Maelstrom_

"Brother-Captain," a navigations serf called, "we've detected something in orbit."

The Brother Captain turned, looking away from the most recent battle reports. "Is it another Yeerk vessel?"

"I'm not sure; it appears to be of a different design. It's much larger as well; I'd say about half the size of this barge."

"Attempt to put it on vox, then. If it doesn't respond, then blast it out of the Materium."

"Yes, Brother- er, oh, it appears to have disappeared. Shall we alert our Lord of the disturbance?"

"And have him take our heads for a false alarm? No, we shall keep an eye out for drop pods before troubling Lord Barachiel at such an important moment."

The serf paused, shrugging, and continued scanning the orbitals.

* * *

 **==/*\==**

* * *

 _Chichi-jima_

Asuka ran.

It was still nighttime, but she could easily see the path before her, illuminated by the fires in the distance. Mrs. Ikari and the two stooges ran behind her, their footfalls muffled by the sand. Ahead of her, beyond the hills, she could see bright flashes of light that threatened to blind her with their intensity.

When she was flying to the island to visit Shinji, she never imagined this would be what awaited her.

They made it to the low-lying vegetation. Asuka ducked underneath a tall shrub, followed by the others. The area they were in seemed to be spared from the violence occurring elsewhere, but she doubted it would last for long.

"What... the fuck... is going on?" Toji panted.

"I don't know," Yui replied, also gasping for breath. "And watch your tongue."

"Do you think this is an alien invasion?" Kensuke asked. "It's not the weirdest thing that could happen."

"I don't care about _who_ _'s_ attacking, I just want to know if Shinji's alright," Asuka retorted. "We need to find him, or at least someone who knows where-"

She paused, suddenly aware of heavy breathing to her side. Turning slowly, she saw something rustling through the bushes twenty or so meters away, crushing driftwood beneath its feet. It paused, taking in ragged breaths, then finally came into view.

Asuka's breath caught as she watched a monster emerge from the bushes. The thing looked as though it belonged in the Book of Revelations, with leathery skin the color of blood and great obsidian horns that curved downwards. It glared at the group with sickly yellow eyes, saliva dripping from its jagged maw, and raised a crudely-shaped axe over its head with a deafening bellow.

" _Blood for the blood god!_ " it howled

With that, it lunged, rapidly covering the ground between it and the group. Asuka backpedaled away, looking for anything she could use as a weapon, if only to buy the others time. It was a futile gesture, she knew; the thing was practically on them already, its breath reeking of rotting meat...

Then, without warning, it exploded in a spray of black blood, spattering Asuka in the face. She stumbled back, ears ringing from the thunderous boom that came almost immediately after the creature's demise. Faintly, she could hear ponderous footsteps behind her, growing nearer. Wiping the blood from her face, she turned around in time to see yet another bizarre sight.

A mechanical _thing_ was walking towards her, smoke still rising from the barrel of the massive Gatling gun it had for a right arm. It easily stood over fifteen feet tall, and Asuka swore that it had a coffin in the middle of its boxy chest. It stopped right before her, then leaned forward as to look down.

"YOU HAVE QUITE THE SPIRIT," it boomed in what seemed to be a jovial tone. "MOST CIVILIANS SHIT THEMSELVES WHEN THEY SEE A KHORNATE DAEMON."

"Who are you?" Asuka managed to ask weakly.

"That's Bjorn the Fell Handed!"

At once, they both turned to the source of the voice. Kensuke stood in front of the others, a look of awe on his face. The otaku almost seemed to be drooling as he stared at the coffin-robot.

"Are you seriously spoutin' stupid game stuff right now?" Toji muttered, helping Yui get to her feet.

"THE BOY IS RIGHT, THOUGH I WISH HE WOULDN'T CALL ME BY THAT STUPID FUCKING NICKNAME," 'Bjorn' replied. "LOOKS LIKE THOSE KIDS WERE RIGHT."

"What's going on?" Yui asked. "What kids? Hell, where's my son?!"

"IT'S A LONG STORY. YOU ARE ESSENTIALLY UNDER ATTACK BY FORCES FROM ANOTHER UNIVERSE, AND WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU." Bjorn flexed his long claws, and Asuka could see electricity spark between them. "YOUR SON IS CURRENTLY FIGHTING ONE OF THE ASSHOLES IN CHARGE. COME, WE NEED TO GET YOU TO SAFETY."

Kensuke practically glowed as he walked up to the coffin-robot, Toji and Yui reluctantly following after him. Asuka eyed them as they grouped around her, then looked back up to Bjorn.

"Where to?"

"FOLLOW ME," came the booming reply. "THE ANIMORPHS ARE REGROUPING NEAR THE COMPOUND ALONG WITH SPEAKER, AND THE FREE HORK-BAJIR ARE HEADING THERE AS WELL."

Bjorn gestured for them to walk in front of him, which made for a rather surreal sight. Asuka went first, followed by the others. Already she could hear more of the 'daemons' moving through the underbrush, stalking their prey.

"Hey, is this a good idea?" Toji asked aloud, edging closer to Kensuke. "I mean, we're pretty much sittin' ducks for those demon things."

"IT'S BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVE," Bjorn replied. "MOST LIKELY, THEY WILL ATTACK IN HOPES OF VIOLENTLY RIPPING YOU TO SHREDS AND OFFERING YOUR SOULS TO A THIRSTING BLOOD GOD, BUT THEY'LL LEARN WHAT AN 'IMPERIAL FISTING' IS IF THEY TRY."

"Wonderful," Asuka muttered.

With that, they trudged deeper into the jungle, followed by the growls of hungering beasts.

* * *

 _ **You have been reading:**_

 ** _CRISIS, Chapter Three: All Out Attack, Part One_**

* * *

 **A/N: Yeah, this chapter's so long, I had to split it so it wouldn't be a bitch to read. _Slumps over keyboard._**


	5. Chapter Four: All Out Attack, Part II

_Chichi-jima_

Shinji hit the ground hard, digging a long furrow in the earth as he came to a stop. Steam rose from a slagged hole in his breastplate, where the mysterious woman's blast had struck home. Warmth pooled his chest, almost soothing, and he realized that he was bleeding. Shaking, he rose to his feet, a low groan of pain escaping him. He was not in good shape; already his armor was battered and broken in places, and his body felt little better.

The White Woman descended from the sky, an ethereal glow about her as she gently landed on the scorched earth. Her crimson eyes locked with Shinji's, and a smirk formed on her flawless face.

"Disappointing," she tittered, clicking her tongue in disapproval as she stepped forward. "You could have been a perfect being, complete unto yourself, but instead you live as one of the Lilim. Frail, imperfect, _weak_. You are undeserving of your gift, and I shall take it from you."

Feeling energy surge through his battered body, Shinji fired a Proton Beam, aiming straight for the woman's face. Right before the narrow blue beam made contact, however, the woman suddenly disappeared, leaving only the brief flicker of an AT-field. There was an imperceptible passing of time, then she was suddenly bearing down on Shinji from the sky, a dull red glow in her chest as she lunged-

-just in time to receive a Meteor Missile to the face. A massive explosion blossomed from the point of impact, completely enveloping her and forcing Shinji to duck as flames washed over him. Once the worst had passed, he sprung into action again, delivering a kick to the White Woman's face while she was still staggering from the previous attack. He pressed his advantage, unwilling to let her recover, striking from all angles in a flurry of kicks and punches.

The White Woman suddenly caught his fist, threatening to break bone with her strength as she glared at him. A single drop of blood trickled from her nose, coloring marble skin as though it had fallen on fresh snow. Elsewhere, the cuts and bruises from his brief offensive were already sealing up, fading away like the morning dew.

"Imagine what you could do if you released your full potential," she said, her voice still soft, almost tender. "You fear for the Lilim, but it is an irrational concern, Shinji. They could be part of you, free from pain and suffering, or you could surrender yourself along with the rest and become one with me."

"Why would I do that?" he hissed, straining to free himself. He lashed out with his free hand, but the woman seemed to barely register his blows. "You want to kill them!"

" _Kill_ them?" The White Woman's voice was incredulous as she stared at Shinji, a shocked expression on her face. "No, Shinji, I'm _freeing_ them, doing what you could have done at the heart of Instrumentality. You of all people know of the pain and suffering they go through, and you let them continue on like that. Whenever I meet you again, it's invariably the same, with small differences here and there, and I plan on stopping it."

Shinji finally broke free, firing a barrage of Meteor Missiles as he flew back. The White Woman walked through the detonations, uncaring of the wounds inflicted upon her perfect form, still staring into his eyes.

"I was like you once," she said. "Weighted with a terrible burden, the Logos of the world thrust into my hands as I faced an inscrutable threat."

Images flooded Shinji's mind, searing themselves into his vision. He felt the world slip away from him, replaced with images and words from another. Stumbling back, he tried to focus, tried to dismiss whatever the woman was putting into his mind, but it was useless.

 _A girl sat at a desk stashed in the corner of what appeared to be a warehouse, hurriedly scribbling something unseen. She was no older than Shinji; much of her pre-adolescence lingered, even as she grew taller and longer limbed. She was tall for her height, with long curly hair that framed a narrow face._

 _The girl rose from her seat, and Shinji realized that she bore unnerving resemblance to the White Woman. What she used to be, perhaps, before obtaining godhood. Something loomed behind her, and Shinji saw that it was like Unit-01, only smaller. Turning around, the girl gazed at the form of the Evangelion before her, a wistful look on her face._

 _"Soon," she muttered._

Shinji blinked, dispelling the illusion, if only briefly. The White Woman watched him in an almost detached manner, arms folded across her chest. In a flash of light, Shinji was at full size, towering over everything in sight like a veritable colossus. Before he could do anything, however, the Woman matched him eye to eye, her chest glowing even brighter than before as she wrestled him back down to the ground. They both shrank back to human size, grappling with each other.

 _Unit-01 howled into the quiet night, blood splattered over its armor as it stood over the remains of its vanquished foe. An all too familiar sight, Shinji thought, but on a smaller scale, with a torn up street illustrating the events of a battle. With a pang of nausea, he saw that whatever Unit-01 had killed was once human; there was no denying the features on the_ _lifeless face, dead eyes staring skyward._

Their AT-fields clashed, the smell of ozone reaching Shinji's nose as the White Woman reached for his chest, almost casually powering through the light of his soul. Her hand was changing, the fingers becoming long claws, and it began to turn a dull orange as it became unbearably hot.

 _Another familiar sight._

 _The vast chamber of the White Moon was laid out before him, like a massive tomb flooded with the blood of a god. Lilith hung in the center, crucified, the Lance of Longinus piercing her chest. Two figures stood before the mother of humanity, incomparably minuscule._

 _"This is where your visions indicated it'd be," a woman said. She was dark-skinned and dressed in a white dress, a lab coat draped over her shoulders. "Your knowledge, the things you've seen... they aren't agent-based; we know that to be true."_

 _"I have to do this," the other figure said. It was the girl from before, but older; there was something behind her eyes, something sorrowful. "I tried making more S2 organs, but it's not working, now. My spark is gone, like whoever gave it to me wanted this to be the path I took. If it's the only chance we have of beating him..."_

 _"Even with all our years of preparation, all the horrible things we did to just get a slight advantage, there's no hope of winning. It needs to be done."_

 _The girl nodded solemnly, but said nothing else._

 _The scene shifted._

 _The girl was alone now, encased within the breast of Unit-01. The Evangelion lifted into the air of its own power, AT-field glittering as it rose to meet with its mother. It came to chest level, pausing as if to take in the awesome sight before it, then suddenly plunged into Lilith's chest, disappearing within the Seed's white flesh._

Welcome home _, a voice whispered._

 _"I'm home," the girl whispered back._

The White Woman's hand plunged into Shinji's chest, tearing through his armor like wet tissue paper and stabbing deep into his flesh. He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out as pain wracked his body. The hand delved deeper and deeper into him, soon coming halfway to the elbow.

 _She was as big as the sky._

 _The girl rose from beneath the ground, ephemeral, a phantom that could cross oceans with a step. All over the world, the seas ran red as the barriers between souls withered away before her will, humanity returning to the primordial chaos of creation as she took them within her breast._

 _A figure watched her. While the girl was alabaster, he was gold; while she was delicate and flawless, he was the pinnacle of perfection and strength. The golden man watched as the goddess before him was born, frowning._

 _The Woman saw him for all he was, past the veneer of humanity he presented, and hate blossomed in her heart, strengthened by five billion others. She extended her will, slipping through the vast eternity of Guf, until she found what she was looking for: a lifeless planet, wracked with a sea of hideous flesh._

 _With a wave of her hand, fire scoured the land, slowly working its way across the entire globe. She did not have to destroy all of it for the thing to die; just enough for the rest to be useless. The golden man came, a tendril protecting the real body, and she paid no heed to its attacks as she continued her work._ _At long last, the thing died, curling up about itself like a crushed insect as the life left its body._

 _The pretender was dead. A god was in her heaven once more; all was right with the world._

 _There was one last thing to do. Once more she travelled through Guf, until she came across another world, much like the one she had left behind. Blood-red waves lapped at a dead shore, and a boy kneeled over a girl, weeping. With dawning horror, Shinji realized that the boy was_ him _._

 _The Woman stood over them, hanging motionless in the air. A flawless arm raised, as if to touch them, and they became one with her as well._

 _For some time, she simply stood on the shore, watching the waves caress her bare feet. Then, slowly, she drifted upwards and disappeared, leaving the broken world behind._

 _There was much work to be done._

Shinji found clarity again. The White Woman stared at him intently, curiously, even as she reached into his chest cavity.

"Do you see now?" she asked.

"Y-you're going around, _eating_ Instrumentality," Shinji groaned, trying to push her off. The White Woman ignored his struggles. "You're absorbing everyone into you; not just on your world, but every world like it."

A nod.

"W-why?"

When I ascended to join the ranks of the First Ones, to join them in godhood, I learned the great secret of the universe." She leaned in close, as if to kiss him, white hair resting on his helmet.

"Somewhere, there is a boy with a typewriter."

Her hand found his core, and Shinji felt an agony like never before. She grasped it fully in her distorted hand, and prepared to pluck it from his chest like a prized fruit.

Suddenly, the White Woman disappeared in a violent gust of wind, leaving behind a shredded hand. Shinji took the opportunity to pull it out of his chest, willing himself to heal the damage. Even with that, the pain was too much, and he found himself slipping towards unconsciousness.

"Are you alright?"

Someone else stood over him, peering at his wound with concerned blue eyes. She appeared to be dressed in a blue bodysuit, vaguely armored, with red boots that crunched the scorched earth underfoot. What caught Shinji's attention the most, however, was the strangely familiar symbol on her chest.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"S-shinji," he gasped in reply. "W-who are you?"

The woman knelt down beside him, propping him upright.

"I'm Superwoman."

* * *

 **S**

* * *

The boy looked at me with wide eyes, then fainted. Glancing back at the core in his chest, I saw that it was still active; he was alive, albeit barely.

"Come on," I muttered, gently slapping him on the cheek in hopes of waking him up. When that didn't work, I stood up, dusting off my knees. In the distance, I could see that the boy's attacker had recovered from my supersonic shoulder-dash, her own core spinning violently as her hand regenerated with alarming speed. One didn't need a hundred different kinds of vision to see the sheer power she wielded as she turned to glare at me.

That wasn't what had me concerned, however.

What concerned me was the fact that she had my face.

There were differences, of course. For one, I wasn't naked or glowing white, and the other me was far more delicate in comparison to my own physique. Her soul-aura was like nothing I had ever seen before, extending around her in all directions like a protective shield. I received another shock when I peered closer at her on the molecular level, and saw _human_ DNA, not Kryptonian.

"So, the false one has arrived," the other me hissed, her voice becoming inhumanly distorted. "The _alien_ that wears my skin and pretends to be what she isn't."

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, balling my fists as I prepared for a possible fight.

"Complementation," came the reply. The other me straightened, her core glowing even brighter as she gently rose to the air. "Do not try to stop it, Kryptonian; you're already too late."

With that, she disappeared, vanishing into thin air before I could reach her. It wasn't like other teleporters I had encountered; there was a brief flash in the Source, then she was _gone_.

I scanned my surroundings, but found no trace of her; she had probably regrouped with the other invaders on their ship. All over, I could see the attackers being forced back, now that me and the core Leaguers had arrived. Colin had joined the shapeshifter and their companions, and was helping them evacuate back to their base of operations, while Dragon was fighting off some bizarre looking creatures on the coast. In the distance, Godzilla was-

I blinked a few times in surprise. _Godzilla_. The most famous movie monster ever was before my very eyes, more impressive than the old films could ever make him out to be. And it appeared that Gamera was also with him, fighting in tandem against some giant with a sword.

I paused to digest that particular bit of information before turning back to the injured boy on the ground. Already his wounds were healing at an alarming rate, his core glowing fiercely across the entire electromagnetic spectrum as energy flowed through his veins. Stooping down, I gently hefted him into my arms.

"Come on, Shinji, we have to go," I said, taking to the air. "We have a regrouping point; I'm taking you there."

Shinji nodded weakly, but said nothing else.

Something sounded behind me, and I turned around to find a spiky quadruped the size of a building tilting its head curiously at me. It made a small honking sound, as if it was trying to ask me a question. It's aura was surprising complex; it was almost at human-level. One of Godzilla's friends, most likely.

"We need to go," I called aloud, feeling silly even as I said it.

To my surprise, it understood. Whirling about, it carved a path through the jungle, making for the evacuation point. I raced ahead to where Dragon was ushering people through the portal. Colin was there as well, conversing with Louis. A man in red robes stood nearby, as well as some massive combat suit shaped like a casket with legs. Peering through its armor, I saw the broken body of a man inside.

Colin turned to me as I settled down on the ground. "More?"

I nodded, gently letting Shinji land on his feet. "Godzilla and Gamera are covering us, apparently."

"I'd never expect those words to come from your mouth," Colin deadpanned. "What the hell have we gotten into?"

* * *

 **==/*\==**

* * *

No. It couldn't be happening; there was no way they could defeat him and his Legion...

Barachiel swung his sword upwards at Godzilla's throat, ignoring the dull ache that seemed to seep into his bones. Before the blade could sink into the beast's char-black flesh, the kaiju king caught it in his hand, paying no heed to the bright red blood trickling down the adamantine edge, and rewarded the Primarch's efforts with a swipe to the head. Barachiel stumbled back with a crack of ceramite, his helmet shattered, and tasted blood in his mouth.

The battle was turning the worst for his Legion. The turtle-like beast, the one they called Gamera, was carving a bloody path through the creatures Darkseid had lent him. A pair of bony blades had emerged from the kaiju's wrist, like curved scimitars longer than the Primarch's own, and they were already slick with blue ichor as hacked and slashed at the alien monsters, slicing through their flesh like mincemeat. Fire swelled up within Gamera's throat, and it opened fire, blasting away the entire upper half of an unfortunate creature.

Godzilla roared, a horrible sound, one filled with fury and rage that the Primarch could never begin to conceive. The King of the Monsters pressed his advantage, his clawed fists a blur as they pummeled Barachiel, denting and ripping away the finest armor the 31st could produce. The Primarch lashed out with a blow of his own, only for Godzilla to catch his hand. There was a brief pause as the kaiju king stared into Barachiel's eyes, then he _squeezed_ , shattering all the bones in the Primarch's hand like delicate china.

Barachiel screamed. He channeled his psyker might, trying to fry the beast, the _monster_ before him with Warp lightning, but Godzilla seemed to barely register it as his spines flared up with a now-familiar blue light. Atomic fire shot out of his maw and struck Barachiel in the shoulder, slagging the Primarch's armor, then burning through flesh as the beam shot through to the other side. Pain spiked through Barachiel's brain like he had never experienced before, threatening to drag him into unconsciousness.

Godzilla lifted the Primarch by his ruined arm, fiery orange eyes burning into Barachiel's own, then heaved. Barachiel flew overhead, eventually coming down on the beach a good half-kilometer away, a massive cloud of sand rising from where he landed.

His shattered hand stayed in Godzilla's grasp.

The Primarch howled in agony, a hand clenched over the charred stump where his arm used to be. Warm blood flowed through his fingers, and he could see spots swarming in his field of vision as he struggled to remain awake. Never before, in all his centuries of life, had he ever felt so broken, so _defeated_. Godzilla marched towards him, dropping his arm like it was nothing more than trash, spines alight with unholy flame. A Stormbird flew into view, pelting the beast with bolter rounds, only for it to be swatted down near-casually.

Barachiel slowly rose to his feet, letting his good arm fall to his side. Death was coming for him, clad in the form of a great black dragon with fire in its eyes and hate in its breast. After campaigning on countless worlds and bringing a good portion of the galaxy under heel, he would die on a foreign Terra, at the hands of a mere beast.

 _ **Not if you let us in,**_ a voice whispered in his mind. _**Not if you embrace us.**_

He blinked, convinced that he was hallucinating from blood loss, then realized just _who_ was speaking to him.

"N-never," he croaked, spitting out a glob of blood. "I will not become one of your pawns."

 _ **All will die and decay, whether it be by axe or by infirmity. You, too, will be no more, your ashes forgotten. But you can choose**_ **how. _Let us in, and you will be more powerful than you ever dreamed._**

Godzilla was before him now, nuclear fire welling in his chest as he loomed over the Primarch. Behind the kaiju king, he could see his Legion blasted and torn asunder by the one they called Gamera.

 ** _You fight gods. Why not have the favor of others?_**

In that moment, he decided.

"Blood for the blood god," he rasped.

Power and knowledge flooded into him, horrid and wrong and _beautiful_. He could have laughed as he felt strength flow through his veins, crackling under his skin like a swarm of hornets. He stepped forward, ready to finally wreak his vengeance on the _animal_ that dared to challenge him-

-and found himself back in his throne room.

" _What?!_ " he snarled, furiously looking about him. Darkseid and the White Woman were standing aside one another, nonplussed looks on their faces. He stomped towards them, wrath bubbling in his chest, only for a barrier of orange light to block his way.

" _YOU DID THIS!_ " he howled, spittle pattering against the barrier as he frothed ineffectually at the gods before him. "You took me away from the fight, just when I was going to tear-"

"We saved your life," Darkseid finished quietly, his red eyes boring holes in the Primarch. " _She_ arrived."

"The Kryptonian," the White Woman said. "She fought me off when I was about to secure my prize."

"Then I'll kill her, too," Barachiel growled.

A smirk formed on Darkseid's stony face. "I am glad to see you have opened yourself up to certain... opportunities, Primarch. But do not be a fool; challenging them all at once would be suicidal at this point."

"My Legion-"

"-are aboard as well, having their wounds attended to. We are retreating from both worlds to recoup our losses and rebuild."

"Well, there is one last thing to do," the White Woman said. "It won't take long."

With that, she disappeared.

* * *

 **S**

* * *

 _Chichi-jima_

As it turns out, trying to fit a hundred-meter-tall radioactive dinosaur through a portal meant for people is easier than done.

Dragon upped the power to the generator, trying to widen the portal as much as possible. It managed to grow bigger, enough that a small army could easily fit through it. Godzilla - my mind still did double takes whenever it thought of him - crouched down to peer through, eyes narrowed. His breath was hot and damp as he snorted derisively, and I made a mental note to wash my suit when this was all over.

"Come on," a young Japanese woman urged, actually walking up to the giant monster and laying a hand on his chin. "You need to do this. The asteroid storage bay's large enough to fit all of you."

Godzilla's eye fell on the woman, and I could see his frustration slowly fade. There was some strange activity in the Source between them, and I realized they had to have some special link. Had he reverse-imprinted on her, viewing her as kin?

Whatever it was, it worked. He crawled through, nearly knocking over the casket-cyborg with his tail in the process. The other kaiju followed suit, making far less of a fuss as they did so. Gamera was the last one to go through, an almost sad look in his all-too-human eyes.

"That's the last of them," a burly man with a katana said.

"ABOUT FUCKING TIME," the casket-cyborg bellowed, forcing Amy to cover her ears next to me. "THAT WAS ALMOST AS PAINFUL AS PULLING A CHAINSWORD THROUGH YOUR DICK."

"Charming fellow," Dragon deadpanned.

"DAMN STRAIGHT." The cyborg stomped through next, waving its stubby arms as it entered the ship. "COMPARED TO THE OTHER IDIOTS I HAVE TO LIVE WITH, I'M FUCKING CASANOVA."

Louis turned to me. "Let's head in, shall we?"

I nodded. "Okay."

Just as we started for the portal, however, a bright flash of light flared up in the distance. Whirling about, I saw a figure rise from the ground, miles away.

The other me.

It was something more felt than seen. Her aura flickered and shifted, becoming alarmingly complex as it spread out to encompass the entire globe. She grew, rising higher and higher until it looked as though she could pluck the Moon from the sky. As soon as I realized what was happening, it was too late.

She was drawing the world's auras, the world's _souls_ , into herself, all of them swirling into the red expanse of her core. Her crimson eyes locked with me, even across such a vast distance, and I could see the knowing smirk on her face.

It ended as quickly as it had begun, and she was gone once more.

Silence reigned on the island. I turned to Louis, feeling the color drain out of my face. He returned the empty look as the realization settled in.

"Shinji can't be told what happened," the man with the katana interjected. "He _can't_. We'll get them back; we've done it before, and we can do it again."

"Instrumentality," Dragon said. "Like from that show..."

"We'll talk about it later," Colin said. "We have enough to handle as it is; I don't want that kind of discussion get in the way."

I nodded slowly. "I understand."

With that, we made for the portal, and it closed behind us.

* * *

 _ **You have been reading:**_

 _ **CRISIS, Chapter Four: All Out Attack, Part Two**_


	6. Chapter Five: Respite

**Previously on**

 **CRISIS**

 _The forces of good have scored their first victory against the legions of evil. On a pair of worlds inhabited by man and monster alike, the invaders have been driven back with heavy casualties on their side, robbed of their prize. Retreating into the vast throng of infinite realities, they plan their next move._

 _The fruit of victory has a bittersweet taste. Though the invaders have been defeated, the inhabitants of one world have been subsumed by the White Woman, who holds them hostage within her heart. To further muddle the situation, it turns out that she is no other than an alternate version of Taylor Hebert, the same identity as Superwoman._

 _Now, the heroes prepare for their next step..._

* * *

 **A**

* * *

 _Aboard the Red Dwarf_

"Well, that was fun," Marco said, the last tufts of fur disappearing under his skin as he demorphed. "Let's never do it again."

"Tell me about it," Jake muttered, sitting down on one of the nearby benches. "Why is it we almost always get really hurt? Amputations, getting bitten in half, disembowelment... it never seems to get easier."

(Thankfully, changes in brain chemistry can reduce the amount of mental trauma,) Ax offered. (Otherwise, we would all be gibbering wrecks from the sheer amount of emotional damage that would accompany the pain.)

(Isn't that wonderful?) Tobias remarked wryly.

"I was just glad we were able to get at least a little payback against those bastards," Rachel replied, sitting down beside the _nothlit_. "It felt good to hit something after everything that happened. Too bad Visser Three wasn't there to get his ass kicked."

"I think you got the order of that wrong," Marco said.

"Especially after what new tricks he showed off last time," Jake added. "He's definitely gotten a power-up or something from those Chaos dudes Bjorn keeps on mentioning."

"DID SOMEBODY MENTION MY NAME?"

Turning at once, they saw the Dreadnaught enter the room through a forcibly widened doorway, followed by Yama and Louis. The latter looked none the worse for wear, though the former sported a small cut on his cheek.

"Seriously, you're like a Mecha-Kool-Aid Man," Marco said.

"I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT REFERENCE. IN OTHER NEWS, WE'VE FINALLY GOTTEN SOME MORE HELP AGAINST OUR FOES, WHICH IS WHY WE WEREN'T STOMPED INTO THE GROUND LIKE THE SQUATS."

"The who?" Cassie asked.

"NEVER MIND," replied Bjorn.

Yama brushed by the Dreadnaught, already rolling up another cigarette. "Thankfully, Louis was able to obtain their help during his little sojourn. They should be in this meeting room in short order."

"I'll think you'll have a blast talking with them," Louis said, clearly trying to suppress a grin. "In the meantime, though, I have to go check on my ship with Speaker and Nessus."

"TAKE CARE WITH THOSE XENOS, WU."

"They're some of the only guys on the ship I can get along with," came the dry retort. "I wonder why."

With that, Louis ducked out of the meeting room.

"What did he mean by 'having a blast'?" Cassie asked aloud. "He meant that in a good way, right? Not a sarcastic, mean-spirited way?

(I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this,) Tobias said.

"I don't know why you're so worried," Jake, glancing at the others. "We've witnessed the destruction of our world, only to be flung aboard a virtually abandoned spacecraft with some scary looking aliens and ominous people aboard-"

"HEY!"

"Oh, shut up, Bjorn. You're a giant coffin robot that thinks demon-killing is fun." Jake leaned back in his seat, scratching his face. "Basically, I'm saying that we've been through crazy-town and took a left into nuts-ville. I don't think we're going to-"

He fell silent when two figures stepped into the room, and he found his gaze fixated on the pair. One appeared to be a young woman that wouldn't look out of place in high school. She was tall, definitely over six feet, and the muscles complementing her slim build gave her the physique of a swimmer or gymnast. Her hair was shoulder length and almost impossibly black, brushed so to clearly show her inhumanly blue eyes.

That wasn't what got their attention the most, however. What struck them the most was the blue bodysuit she wore, as well as the red cape draped over her shoulders. A instantly-recognizable symbol graced her chest, one that everyone in their world knew.

The other figure elicited a similar reaction, though he was quite different in appearance. He wore a uniform like hers, but with a dull gray bodysuit and black cape. A horned helmet hid his face from view, and glowing white lenses seemed to bore into their souls as the man scanned the group. His chest had a different symbol, but equally familiar: a stylized bat, with spread wings.

"Hello," Batman and Superwoman said at the same time.

There was a soft thump to Jake's side, and he vaguely realized that Marco had fainted.

* * *

 **==/*\==**

* * *

"Just how big a spaceship is this thing?" Asuka muttered, watching from a gangplank as a veritable legion of kaiju milled around below her. All of the Monster Island regulars were down there, as well as the one that everyone called Gamera. Godzilla seemed to be growing fond of the terrapin, considering how the two were lazing about near each other, with Junior and Anguirus for company.

Beside her, also leaning against the railing, Shinji shrugged. "I think I heard someone say it was meant to carry around big asteroids and stuff. They have two more bays like this to hold smaller spaceships.

"It's just weird," Asuka muttered.

"Didn't we once team up with Godzilla to fight a bunch of kaiju on Mars?"

"Yeah, yeah. But I thought the crazy stuff would stop after the world was saved. Didn't you?"

"I always hoped that we could just spend the rest of our days having peaceful, boring lives. Kensuke and Toji were planning on making some band called Destroy All Monsters; that would've been fun to do for a bit." Shinji sighed, looking down at the bizarre, yet normal, view below. "Now, we're having to go save the multiverse while everyone we care about has to stay huddled up on this ship for safety."

"It could be worse, baka," Asuka gently retorted. "I can't wait to kick some ass, one way or another. There has to be something I can do to help; you'd get your sorry butt in trouble without me."

"I guess that's true," Shinji said quietly, thinking back to the feeling of the White Woman's hand burning into his chest. He closed his eyes, trying to banish the image from his mind, and stood up straight. "Want to go see the others? I don't want to think too much about what's happening."

"That sounds good."

Together, they made their way to the elevator. As they did, however, Shinji could help but remember the haunting words of the White Woman, just as she was ready to remove his core.

 _Somewhere, there is a boy with a typewriter._

* * *

 **S**

* * *

"Well, that was unexpected," Colin muttered.

"Are we really _that_ popular in their world?" I asked.

Bjorn turned slightly to face me. "LET ME PUT IT TO YOU THIS WAY. I WAS BORN IN THE 31ST MILLENNIUM, WHERE HUMANITY WENT THROUGH SEVERAL EPIC FUCK UPS AND LOST A GREAT DEAL OF HISTORY, AND SOME OF US STILL KNOW ABOUT SUPERMAN, THOUGH THE FUCKERS IN THE INQUISITION STILL GRUMBLE ABOUT YOU BEING AN XENO. INDEED, I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THE EMPEROR HIMSELF USED TO READ COMIC BOOKS BACK IN THE EARLY STAGES OF HISTORY."

"So, like how your fanbase on Bet sees you," Colin interpreted. "Or how we used to view Scion."

A small sound drew my attention back to the teenagers in the room with us. One of them had gathered up his wits enough to cautiously step forward, along with the blue centaur alien.

"H-holy sh... cow," the boy said, quickly correcting himself. "Am I dreaming? Did I actually die and go to heaven where I could hang out with superheroes?"

"You're very much alive," I replied, extending my hand. "Pleased to meet you. I have a feeling you know our names, but what's yours?"

The boy stared at my hand like it was the Holy Grail, then shook it firmly. Faintly, I could hear him mutter "shaking hands with Superwoman", before saying "Jake."

"Nice name," I said. I turned to the blue alien. "How about you?"

(Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthil,) he replied, forgoing a handshake to bow slightly. (Are you the figure I keep on seeing in the visually-represented novels?)

"Comic books," Jake mouthed.

"Yes," I replied. "Though I'm a bit different in more than a few ways, I'd imagine."

Behind them, the one who had fainted suddenly got to his feet, eyes still wide. I could literally smell the excitement coming off of him, and his heart hammered against his ribs as he sidled over to his friend.

"Batman and Supergirl-"

"Superwoman."

"Batman and Superwoman," the boy corrected nervously. "It's hard to keep my head straight; I mean, holy shit -er, cow, would't want to swear in front of you, but you two made my childhood." He turned to Colin, a look of reverence on his face. "You are, like, the coolest dude ever; I even still have Batman bedsheets and stuff, and-"

"You can calm down," Colin interrupted briskly, his brow furrowed at the surreal sight before him. Most of the time, he expected people to scream and run away when they saw him, not scream and run _at_ him. "What is your name?"

"Marco," came the swift reply. "How much like in the comics are you guys? I mean, she's probably Clara Kent or somethi-"

"Who?" I asked.

"Ya know, like in the comics? Superman's secretly Clark Kent, reporter for the Daily Planet, and Batman's secretly playboy billionaire Bruce Wayne. Do you guys fight the Joker and stuff?"

"Never heard of the Joker," I replied. "And I think there's a lot of differences from those comics you read. I'm not going to reveal identities just yet, but I'm definitely not a reporter; I'm a student teacher who works with kids in elementary schools. Batman gets to use the lab to make gadgets, but he's definitely not a billionaire."

Marco shrugged. "Doesn't make it any less awesome. Do you have laser eyes? Does the Justice League exist? And does Batman have a Batmobile?"

"What?" Colin asked, confused. "Why the fuck would I call something a Batmobile?"

"You swear? Sweet!"

I chuckled at the look on Colin's face, then turned to face Marco. "Yes, we do have a Justice League. Yes, I have laser eyes. No, Batman doesn't name his gadgets like that, but I'm definitely going to bring that up with Dragon later." I cleared my throat, my face becoming more serious. "We do have some important matters to attend to, though. We're calling in everyone else for a meeting about what to do."

"WHO THE FUCK MADE YOU IN CHARGE?"

"No one. I'm just making sure we're all on the same foot. If you want, we can try to elect a leader or a command group when we're all here."

"WORKS FOR ME. I VOTE FOR GODZILLA, IF ONLY BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE THE LOOK ON EVERYBODY'S FACES."

"Godzilla's here, too?!" Marco held up a finger, as if to declare something, then opted to walk out of the room. "I have to see this."

(Me too!) the hawk suddenly declared, swooping past me.

I watched them go, then decided to follow after them, if only for a brief moment.

It wasn't every day you got to see Godzilla.

* * *

 **Ω**

* * *

 _Aboard the_ World Maelstrom

(This invasion was a total failure,) the Yeerk Emperor declared, trotting into the throne room. More Chaos runes marked his body, seemingly burned into his light blue fur, and he wore a spiked breastplate with the Yeerk insignia painted on in blood.

Barachiel snorted at the sight; like the Ruinous Powers would wholeheartedly bless something as pathetic as him. When the fighting was all over, when that damned lizard's skull rested in his throne room, he would show the arrogant xeno _real_ power. Nevertheless, he remained quiet as he watched the others begin the debate; fighting would be self-defeating at the moment.

"It was a complete loss," the White Woman replied, a faint smile on her face. "I have consumed another world. My power has grown; I can feel the light of their souls strengthening my own. The boy escaped me, but only with the interference of the pretender."

(What pretender? Is this what everyone was all concerned about?)

"She speaks of the Kryptonian that calls herself 'Superwoman'," Darkseid said, displeasure clear in his voice as he leaned forward, palms flat on the gathering table. "We now face a dire obstacle, now; she is amongst their ranks."

"A woman in a funny suit frightens _you_ , o mighty Lord of Apokolips?" Barachiel inquired, incredulous. "I thought it would take something far more fearsome to make you turn tail and run."

The Primarch realized he had made a terrible mistake when he saw Darkseid turn to him, eyes ablaze. Barachiel instinctively reached for his reforged sword, hoping that the blessings the Lords of Chaos had given him would be enough to survive.

It happened so fast as to scarcely happened at all; only the Primarch's superhuman reflexes allowed him to pay witness to the horrific action. Light flared from Darkseid's eyes, but there was something fundamentally _wrong_ about them, something that wracked Barachiel's mind with pain as he tried to make sense of the sight. They twisted sharply at right angles, crackling with unnatural energy, and struck the Primarch in the shoulder.

There was no deafening explosion, no massive fireball to herald the damage done. In the span of a heartbeat, flames scoured away his armor and the flesh underneath, reducing his entire shoulder to a snow-white ash that blew away in the baking-hot air.

The screaming came quickly after that.

Barachiel fell to his knees, hand clamped over the ashen stump that was his arm. Already, he could feel power flow through him, fueled by his pain and fury. The gods answered his bellows of agony with flesh forged from the maddening Immaterium itself. A new limb began to form, muscles and tendons and bones bubbling into life as they unevenly joined together into a mockery of a human arm. Armor, still red-hot from the forges of Khorne, flared over the freshly-created limb, searing into the Warp-flesh and serving as skin.

Barachiel rose to his feet, breathing deeply through gritted teeth as he flexed his gift from the Ruinous Powers, and glared at the statuesque figure before him.

"That," he snarled, " _hurt._ "

"As it should have, Primarch," came the low reply. "That was a warning; even your new allies won't save you from me if I so desire it. Consider yourself blessed that I didn't vaporize you outright."

Barachiel seethed, bloody mucus trickling down the corner of his mouth, but said nothing. Already the signs of Chaotic influence were showing; his face was even paler than before, like a waterlogged corpse that had been left to rot for days, and his eyes had an almost jaundiced look to them.

The only thought he had about it, however, was _more_.

"I believe we should focus on our actual enemies," the White Woman interjected. "We can start killing each other later."

"Naturally," Darkseid rumbled, finally turning away from the Traitor Primarch. "The Kryptonian is whom we have to worry about most. Even now, I lack the power to confidently defeat her, but that is only a matter of time."

"I suggest we should find their ship and blast it to slag," the Yeerk Emperor offered.

"Do you really think your stolen trinkets can kill the Pretender?" the White Woman asked incredulously. "She could wipe out your fleet in a moment, and there are others fighting alongside her. We need to gather our strength if we wish to kill her."

"Indeed," Darkseid said. "Fortunately, I have a target in mind, one that should be harder for them to find. I initially skipped it over to avoid detection by local powers, but now I feel the time is right."

(Another defenseless Earth?) the Yeerk Emperor asked. (Or have you decided to take to the stars?)

"It is defenseless, relatively speaking, and it is among the stars," came the hard reply. "And I believe it may be the crux to defeating our foes once and for all."

* * *

 **S**

* * *

 _Aboard the Red Dwarf_

"Who's a good giant monster?" I asked playfully, rapidly scratching along Godzilla's gills. "Yes you are, yes you are!"

The greatest monster to have ever lived began to purr like a kitten, thumping his tail agains the deck of the asteroid storage bay. I switched to the gills on the other side of his neck, and the purring intensified.

Of all the strange things to ever happen to me, I never thought I would scratch _Godzilla_ like a pet. It was pretty surreal, like I was in some light-hearted dream, but there was no denying that the warm scales under my hands were real as I raked my nails over them. It was definitely something I would remember for as long as I lived.

"Ahem," Amy muttered.

I paused, craning my neck to the ragtag crowd on the nearby gangplank, and reluctantly drifted over. Godzilla opened his eyes, a disappointed chuff escaping him, and focused on the new turn of events.

"Everyone's gathered up," Colin said, pointedly trying to ignore the awed stares coming from the Animorphs. "We need to discuss a course of action."

"That's good to hear," I said, gently landing on the gangplank. "First off, I think everyone needs to come up to speed on just _who_ and _what_ we're up against."

"YOU JUST MEAN YOU, YOUR FRIENDS, AND THOSE NEW GUYS," Bjorn retorted. "EVERYONE ELSE HAS A PRETTY GOOD IDEA, I THINK. THE RUINOUS POWERS ARE AMASSING TO BRING THE ENTIRE MULTIVERSE, OR WHATEVER THE FUCK YOU CALL IT, INTO THEIR EVIL HOLD."

"It's not just that," I heard Shinji say softly.

"What do you mean?" I asked, mainly to get everyone's attention on him.

The boy - it made me feel old to think that; I was younger than him when I started out - shifted nervously under the crowd's gaze, then raised his chin. "When the island got attacked, somebody personally came after me, someone like Lilith back during the whole thing with Instrumentality. She had an S2 organ, and said something about going around and eating everybody who came from the Seeds and stuff."

"LIKE A CANNIBAL? THAT WOULD TAKE FOREVER."

"I know what he means," I retorted, glaring at the coffin-like cyborg. "She took their souls."

"AH, THAT MAKES MORE SENSE. CARRY ON."

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Jake said, gesturing wildly. "Souls? Like, as in actual souls, the kind of stuff you read about in Sunday school?"

"In a word? Yes," Colin replied.

(How can primitive humans prove that?) Ax inquired incredulously. (Even Andalite scientists haven't confirmed the existence of a soul.)

"We have," the redhead next to Shinji replied, putting her hands on her hips. "Maybe you weren't looking right, four-eyes."

"WE HAVE PROVEN THAT SOULS EXIST IN MY WORLD AS WELL," Bjorn added. "IT ENDED UP BEING A PRETTY BAD THING."

"The _atman_ is a concept found to be universal and beyond," Yama said, lighting a cigarette. "But now is not the time for a discussion of such things."

"I'm glad I have no need to take part in it," Nessus said. "My people found no such undying part."

I frowned, turning to look his way. "What are you talking about?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your scientists must have guessed wrong," I said. "I'm seeing yours right now."

That had an immediate effect on the Pierson's Puppeteer. He opened both mouths, as if to say something, then snapped them shut. Trembling, as though he would collapse at any moment, he slowly knelt down and tucked his heads under his stomach, forming a tight ball.

"Well, I'll be tanjed," Louis murmured, glancing at Nessus's form before turning back to me. "I think we should stop talking about this stuff, unless we want to get all wrapped up in existential navel-gazing."

"That is agreeable," Speaker said. "Here is another topic: I believe we should elect a leader to better handle this threat, instead of chaotically attempting to formulate plans."

"And you're nominating yourself, aren't you?" I asked dryly.

"Naturally," came the rumbling reply. "This is a situation of a military nature. Your abilities as scientists or explorers are unimportant; we need someone with combat experience and a tactical mind."

(I nominate Prince Jake, then,) Ax declared. (We have fought against the Yeerks for years, and it was only under his leadership that we lasted for so long.)

"I'm not sure if I'm cut for that," Jake admitted, rubbing his arm absentmindedly. "I mean, that was different. We had to fight under the radar, play the long game, that kind of stuff. If the guys we're up against are as nasty as everyone says, then it's going to be a different fight."

"I STILL WANT GODZILLA IN CHARGE."

"Seriously?" I heard Rimmer say in the distance. "The smeghead can't even speak!"

"STILL MORE INTELLIGIBLE THAN YOU!"

An argument began to break out between the Dreadnaught and Rimmer, threatening to devolve into a shouting match that would eventually bring everyone in. Yama and Louis stayed silent, eyes fixed on me, as if they were waiting for my cue.

Then, behind me, Godzilla roared, the gangplank actually rattling with the sheer force behind it. Now that he was actually there, in the flesh, I could appreciate just how fearsome of a sound his roar was; the countless movies my world's Japan made before Leviathan sank Kyushu couldn't do it justice. Even I couldn't help but feel a tingle run up my spine as I heard it, and I found myself wondering how the others must have felt.

At once, everyone fell silent, a sort of terrified awe on their faces. Nessus had formed an even tighter ball, and Speaker looked almost liked a spooked kitten as he stared up at the mountain of monster glaring down at the gangplank.

Seeing that everyone was now quiet, I gently cleared my throat.

"Can we please _calmly_ decide on who's in charge? It's not like they'll have full power, anyway; we'll all be able to chime in, right?"

"THAT SOUNDS GOOD," Bjorn boomed in agreement. "ALL JOKING ASIDE, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A 'REPRESENTATIVE' FROM EACH UNIVERSE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT."

"Like a republican democracy?" Louis asked.

"WHAT'S A DEMOCRACY?"

"Christ," Colin muttered to my side. I couldn't help but agree with that sentiment; just what kind of universe was Bjorn from?

"I think that could work," Dragon said aloud, taking a small step forward. "Does anyone else agree?"

Nodding all around.

"Good. Something tells me we already have leaders for our little subgroups; I know we have ours. Now that we have a rough idea of _who_ 's in charge, we should focus on _what_ we need to do."

"That should be obvious enough," Yama said, lighting another cigarette. "The enemy is licking its wounds right now, but that won't last for long. Their leader, this... man with red eyes, as all witnesses can agree on, is growing in strength. The same goes for that mysterious woman who seems to serve as his attack dog."

"Do we know who he is?" Louis asked.

I saw Marco and the other Animorphs shuffle slightly at the comment, subtly enough that most people would've missed it. I raised an eyebrow at that, but stayed silent; if needed, I could just ask them about it in private, when they were more comfortable.

"That appears to be the great mystery of this struggle," Yama replied. "Whomever he is, he is not a man; that much I can tell. In fact, I wouldn't even say that he's alive in the sense that we know it."

"Just what the hell does that mean?" Asuka demanded.

Yama took another puff of his cigarette. "Hell if I know; I only know what he isn't, and that is a terrifying prospect."

"WELL, I GUESS WE WILL JUST HAVE TO SHOOT HIM A BIT MORE," Bjorn offered. "I HAVE SEEN CREATURES NEITHER LIVING NOR DEAD, BEASTS BORN OUT OF THE BASEST AND MOST PRIMAL URGES AND VICES OF LIFE IN THE GALAXY. AND I HAVE SEEN THEM DIE."

"That's pretty metal," Marco muttered to the other Animorphs.

"Something tells me we're going to find out what he is soon enough," I said. "Whatever he is, we need to prepare for a fight."

"I can help upgrade the ship, make it more prepared for combat," Dragon offered. "Add in turrets, missile launchers, maybe also attach more armor plates. This ship was designed for mining; we could use asteroids as raw material to make even more weapons."

"Pardon me, Miss, er, Dragon," Kryten interrupted, taking a few awkward steps forward, "there are two major issues with that. One, the _Dwarf_ is horribly designed for combat. Two, the _Dwarf_ is horribly designed for combat."

"That's just one."

"Yes, but I felt that it was big enough of a problem to warrant two mentions," the android replied. "You need something actually designed for space combat."

"Unfortunately, that is a good point," Yama said. "Fortunately, I have already been searching through the Brahman for more universes who could help us, and I believe I may have come across a solution to that issue."

"WHAT UNLUCKY BASTARD HAVE YOU IN MIND?"

* * *

-/-\\-

* * *

 _Race Free Zone, Utah, (W)Earth_

"Exalted Fleetlord?"

Atvar looked up from another stack of reports warranted by the Colonization Fleet's arrival. Kirel had paused in the middle of his own reports, and appeared to be shaken by something.

"?" he coughed.

"It was nothing, Exalted Fleetlord," Kirel replied hurriedly. "Just had a sudden bad feeling, probably related to all the stress of the past week."

"Truth," Atvar said. "Thankfully, it appears that the Americans are managing to keep the other nations at bay, at least for now. Soon, we will be off this Emperor-forsaken mudball."

"It will not be soon enough, Exalted Fleetlord," Kirel said.

The two went back to their work. As they did, however, Atvar couldn't help but wonder if Kirel's 'bad feeling' was just that.


	7. Chapter Six: Race Against Time

Previously on

 **CRISIS**

 _The forces of good finally go on the offensive. Now that they have Superwoman and the core of her Justice League on their side, they move to obtain more allies for the coming battle against the ultimate evil that is Darkseid._

 _Time is against them, however, for there is no rest for the wicked. Already they plan to take another world, one that Darkseid believes to be the crux to defeating the forces of good once and for all._

 _And in the crossfire, another world finds itself entering the fray..._

* * *

-/-\\-

* * *

 _The White House, (W)Earth, the day after_

"You wished to speak with me, Mr. President?" Atvar inquired, still internally flinching at the forced respect in his tone.

"Naturally," President Johnson replied, gesturing to the empty chair before his desk. "Please, take a seat."

The Fleetlord did as told, sliding into the plush cushions. Tosevite manufacturing had improved drastically from their already impressive levels in the forty Home-years he had spent on the planet. If what Kirel told him was true, then they were beginning to mass produce devices that could alter themselves on the molecular level, if only slightly. Nanotechnology, the Tosevites were calling it.

"Now," the President continued, "we have been more than lenient with your presence within our territory, which has earned us a great deal of flak from the other power blocs, especially the UE and East Asian countries. We've been trying to shy away from the pre-war dogma of realpolitik ever since it nearly cost us the war, but there are plenty of politicians who have no love for the Race."

"Which is why we are preparing the evacuation of the Colonization Fleet as soon as we can manage," Atvar replied, absentmindedly digging his claws into the armrests. "Within the month, the entire Race population on Tos- _Earth_ will be nearing the heliopause."

"It is not that which concerns us," another voice said.

Turning an eye turret, Atvar saw the weathered face of Harpanet studying him intently over the desk. Serving as an advisor to every President since the war, the old fi' had proved to be fairly progressive and lenient. Now, however, there was something... apprehensive about him.

"?" the Fleetlord coughed.

"Despite my advice, the Herdmaster has not made you and your fithp part of his own," Harpanet replied. "Neither has he crushed you into atomic dust. The American fithp are merciful and kind to you; it would be wise to be completely honest."

"Now, now," President Johnson continued, "let's not jump to conclusions here."

"What is he talking about?" Atvar demanded. "We have given you everything, even the bannership the Emperor himself granted me to come here."

"It's not an accusation we are leveling at you" the President said. "The global situation is getting tense enough as it is with what's happened; we just wish to ask you a question."

"Which is?"

"Atvar, the records aboard your ship appear to be complete, but there's no way we could be 100% sure about that; I know I'd hide important details from the enemy on the chance they managed to steal some databanks. Is it possible that there are historical records omitted from your shipboard computers, especially regarding other alien species? I know that you have sent probes to other worlds, even ones you didn't mark for conquest."

"Your fithp have looked farther than any other," Harpanent added. "That may change, but it is the truth for the moment."

"Yes, we have sent probes to more than a dozen worlds," Atvar replied. "Tomess, Tarsev, Jasumasz, and a few more. Interstellar probes were never my specialty, however. Why do you ask me this?"

The President leaned closer, ever so slightly, and Atvar saw that the Tosevite was actually _nervous_. A quail of terror swelled up in the Fleetlord's liver; if even the might Tosevites and their allies were worried, then it was a grave concern indeed.

"Have you encountered other spacefaring species before coming to Earth?"

"If we had, we would have never made it here," Atvar replied, more than a little venom in his voice. "Our illusion of superiority was only shattered when we arrived here, Tosevite."

President Johnson leaned back in his chair. "So, you're just as much in the dark about it as we are."

"About what?"

"It is confidential information," Harpanet replied. "Though, considering how well amateur observations have developed, it will not stay so for long. We discovered it just half an hour ago, higher than geosynchronous orbit. The other power blocs have discovered it as well, and are starting to enter a frenzy that makes mating heat seem mild in comparison."

"Hard to blame them," the President added. "A spaceship more than six miles long just appeared out of nowhere."

Atvar's blood turned to ice. "That's... that's even bigger than your warships..."

"It has eighty times the volume of Message Bearer," Harpanet finished. "Our fleet would be hard-pressed to destroy such a large mass."

"Have communications been attempted?" Atvar inquired, his mouth dry. Part of him desperately hoped that the President was just making a poor joke, but he could tell by the look in the Tosevite's eyes that it wasn't the case.

"We did that almost immediately after it appeared," President Johnson replied. "We haven't gotten anything back, and prior experience tells us that silence from a giant alien spaceship is never a good thing."

"Are you saying that it may be hostile?"

"I'm saying that they're being quiet for a reason," the President replied, "and I have a bad feeling as to why."

* * *

 **S**

* * *

 _Aboard the Red Dwarf_

"You fried the _entire_ communications array?" Dragon asked, dumbfounded as she stared at the vast field of ruined cables. "This ship is bigger than most cities! How the hell could you have managed to do that?"

"Well," Lister replied, rubbing the back of his head, "I accidentally left the tap running in the bath for a few years. One day I was just making some vindaloo, and suddenly I was going thirty down the hall in a wave. Holly short-circuited, and I guess a bunch of other things went down as well."

"That'd be hilarious if we weren't in our current situation," I said.

"I could get communications running again in a half hour, if there's nothing to divide my attention," Dragon sighed. "Judging by the ships moving in low Earth orbit, however, I'm not sure if we have that long before this whole thing goes sour."

"Can't Louis and his group use their ship's radio?" I asked.

"They lost it when the Ringworld try to fry them with an X-ray laser," came the reply. "Their flycycles don't have the power to go through two miles of metal _and_ the additional hundred thousand to Earth, either. If we want to talk before they try to blow us up, we need something else."

"Maybe Godzilla could stand on the outside with a giant white flag?" Lister offered.

"No," I murmured, "but I think I have an idea..."

* * *

-/-\\-

* * *

 _The White House_

"Alright then," the President then, hanging up on the phone and turning to Atvar. "That was the Russian President. One of their spy satellites managed to get a good look at the ship in question before we could; it appears that it's not armed."

"I find that my discomfort has been only slightly diminished," the Fleetlord replied. "Even assuming that it has no visible weapons of war, I find that a craft of such size is..."

"Is what?" the President asked. "Is something wrong, Atvar?"

Slowly, Atvar pointed at one of the windows, and the President turned to look at the strange sight before them. Harpanet also shuffled over, trunk curled in consternation.

Unless Atvar's old eye turrets were deceiving him, a female Tosevite was floating in midair near the window, giving him and the others a small wave. She was tall, taller than most other Tosevites, and had a muscular physique that indicated prime condition. Unlike the more conventional clothing of the other inhabitants of the mad planet he was forced to live on, this one wore a blue bodysuit that appeared to be armored, with a bright red cape draped over her shoulders. A broad diamond-shaped sigil covered her chest, with what appeared to be a stylized 'S' on it.

The Tosevite drifted (drifted! By the Emperor, the thing could fly!) forward and knocked on the window.

"Are you going to let me in?" she asked.

The President opened his mouth as if to say something, then discreetly pressed the silent alarm button under his desk. Atvar heard the door to the office slam open as Secret Service agents poured in, weapons at the ready.

"Is that Superman?" one of the agents whispered behind Atvar.

"More like Supergirl or something," another muttered in reply.

The Tosevite sighed. "Is this really necessary? And it's Superwoman, by the way."

"It's a matter of precaution," the President replied.

"I already know you have seven point-defense lasers pointed at me, and several agents down below are preparing heavy weaponry. Trust me, Mr. President, it won't work."

"We can't be sure of that. For all we know, you're just an-"

Suddenly, she was inside the office, a faint gust of wind heralding her arrival through the door. One of the agents overcame his shock in time to fire, only for her to catch a trio of bullets between her fingers. Sighing, she pocketed the still-steaming bullets and folded her arms across her chest.

"I'm here to help, Mr. President," the Tosevite said.

Atvar found himself transfixed in place as he gawked at the impossible Tosevite before him. A fly buzzed dangerously close to an eye turret, but he paid it no attention as he tried to find the power to speak. Dimly, he noted that Harpanet had a similar look of shock on his worn face.

The President rose from his chair, then turned to the agents slowly, as if carefully weighing his options.

"Stand down," he finally said.

Reluctantly, the agents lowered their weapons. The Tosevite glanced at them, then folded her arms. Briefly, she looked Atvar's way, studying him with unnaturally blue eyes, and swept over to Harpanet before turning back to the President

"Sorry about the scare," she said, her voice friendly. "Our radio broke; something about leaving the tap on for too long."

"B-by the Emperor," Atvar managed to finally squeak. "H-how..."

The Tosevite smiled at him. "I'm Superwoman; I can do anything."

That finally proved to be the breaking point. Atvar wobbled slightly, feeling the office spin around him as he drifted into unconsciousness. The last thing he was aware of was the feel of the carpet hitting his face.

* * *

 **S**

* * *

 _Some time later_

"Thanks for the privacy," I said, taking a sip from the tea graciously left by a Secret Service agent. We had moved to the diplomatic meeting room inside the center wing of the building, where most people actually thought the Oval Office was. The only other ones in the room were the sleeping form of the reptilian alien, and the other alien that kind of looked like a baby elephant.

(Still can't believe we're in the White House,) Marco murmured, buzzing near the door.

(This structure is too large to reasonably call a house,) Ax said. (Humans and their inaccurate descriptors.)

And six special flies on the wall.

"You know, I used to read Superman comics when I was a kid," the President said. "Imagine my surprise when I saw you out the window."

"Everyone keeps on mentioning that," I said.

"Keeps on mentioning what?" the President asked.

"The comics. Superman. It's kinda surreal when I hear about that stuff and note some similarities. Last member of an advanced alien race, raised by good parents, sets out to do good... there are some differences, though."

"That sounds like a good conversation for later," the President said. "Now, it's pretty clear that you're connected with that giant ship in orbit."

"That's the _Red Dwarf._ Long story short, we're all people from other universes."

(Way to break it,) Marco commented. He wasn't broadcasting publicly, but I could still hear it, somehow.

(Shut up,) Tobias said.

The President froze in the middle of drinking his coffee. Slowly, he set the mug down, studying his drink intently for some time. Based on the neuron activity in his brain, I could see that he was mulling it over.

"Other universes," he finally said, his voice forcibly calm as he looked back to me. "As in brane theory. I remember reading some paper about it; a lot of scientists are convinced that there's an infinite amount of realities. It's true, isn't it?"

I nodded. "It must be pretty hard to take in. I grew up knowing about it, back where I came from."

"I've grown up with a lot of things that would've been hard for older generations to swallow," the President replied. "The fact that we're not alone in the universe. The fact that at least some of the folks in it want to take over Earth. This news just seems like a logical progression at this point."

"Indeed," the elephantine alien said at the President's side. "We have all received great shocks in our lives; perhaps we are becoming numbed to them."

(Someone seems to still be taking it rough,) Jake said, flitting over the reptilian alien's sleeping form. (Is he alright?)

(Superwoman isn't worried, and I think she'd know,) Cassie offered.

"So, you and some others have arrived here in that ship of yours," the President continued. "I'd imagine there'd be quite a strange crew, if what you've said about other universes is true."

"You don't know the half of it," I said.

"Obviously you demonstrate great strength," the elephantine alien said. "My child has told me of this 'Superman' from the stories he reads with his friends. Are you to bring us within your herd?"

"What?" I asked, furrowing my brow. "I'm not here to conquer you or anything like that."

"Harpanet, didn't your kid tell you that they don't do that in comics?" the President asked.

"I'd assumed that a different species like so-called 'Kryptonians' might demonstrate that behavior," Harpanet replied. "I had discussed them with Takpusseh."

Marco couldn't contain himself at that. At first he began to giggle uncontrollably, then he broke out into hearty guffaws, unconsciously broadcasting it for everyone to hear as he practically rolled on the floor in fly morph.

The President looked around for the source of the laughter. "Is that coming from upstairs?"

"Doesn't seem like it," Harpanet said. "And who laughs at Takpusseh's name anymore?"

The laughing redoubled at the second mention of the name, and I had to stifle a laugh myself. The other Animorphs were fighting a similar battle, and only Ax was winning.

I sighed. "Everyone, demorph."

At once, the Animorphs began to morph on the floor of the office, rapidly growing in size. In less than a minute, they were back in their normal forms, sheepishly glancing at the President.

(I never thought I would reveal myself to such a high authority figure,) Ax mumbled.

Thankfully, the President took it well. He straightened at first, and I could hear his heart hammering against his chest, but soon he managed to calm himself.

"Friends from another universe?" he asked.

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Yeah. We also have crazier stuff on the ship."

"One thing at a time, please," he said, managing a weak chuckle. "Now, why are you here, anyway?"

"To be honest?" I asked. "We need your help."

"Help with what?" the President asked.

"They know it best," I said, gesturing the Animorphs. "Tell him."

* * *

 **A**

* * *

 _Aboard the Red Dwarf_

"Got any threes?" Toji asked.

"Go fish," Louis replied, his countenance betraying nothing as he spoke. Two centuries of life as a carefree Flatlander had perfected his poker face to levels unheard of on other Earths.

"Superwoman and the others are taking a while," Shinji said softly, glancing down at his own hand.

"It must be, otherwise we wouldn't be passing the time with such a banal game," Speaker muttered, whisking his tail impatiently. "I itch to fight the enemy, not engaging in human trivialities."

"You're only sour because we decided not to play rummy," Louis retorted.

"What does flavor have to do with my mood?"

"Another human idiom, I suppose," Nessus offered. "Do you have any twos?"

"Go fish."

"WELL, THIS IS GETTING PRETTY FUCKING BORING," Bjorn declared, stepping into view. "I'VE BEEN WATCHING YOU FUCKERS PLAY AN ANCIENT GAME FOR TWO HOURS ALREADY. THAT MACHINE-SPIRIT WOMAN AND HER BAT-BOYFRIEND ARE FIXING THE VOX, AND THE KIDS WITH SWORDS ARE TOO BUSY HANGING OUT WITH GODZILLA AND THAT GIANT TURTLE-THING TO TALK TO ME, ALONG WITH JUST ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE."

"What could they even be doing that's so entertaining?" Kensuke asked.

* * *

 **A**

* * *

Godzilla broke the surface of the water tank, jaws clamped on the tentacles of a despair squid. The massive cephalopod wriggled and writhed against him, but it only delayed the inevitable as he brought his teeth down on the creature's mantle. With a sickening crunch, the squid fell limp in his jaws, and the kaiju king set about enjoying his meal.

"Now _that's_ an impressive clean-up," Lister said.

* * *

 **A**

* * *

"PROBABLY JUST WATCHING SOME CRUMMY MOVIE," Bjorn boomed.

"That does remind me of something," Kensuke said. "We seem to be fictional characters to each other, right? Some of us have books or movies about each others' adventures, or at least somewhat."

Shinji glanced up at his friend, then averted his eyes, his face paling.

Louis finished a gulp of whisky from a flask he brought with him. "Seems about right. It does open up a lot of opportunities for learning, if you think hard enough about it. Imagine if there's an Earth where Chaucer finished his Canterbury Tales, or if Dostoevsky completed his trilogy for _The Brothers Karamazov._ Think of the countless religions and philosophies that could develop or change from world to world, and how that would affect our culture."

"Does that mean there's a universe where the Star Wars prequels were good?"

They all stopped their game, eyes staring out into space.

"WOULDN'T BET ON IT."

"How do you even know what Star Wars is?" Speaker asked.

"I GREW UP BEFORE THE IMPERIUM TURNED INTO THE CESSPOOL IT IS NOWADAYS," came the bellowing reply. "I WATCHED A FAIR SHARE OF ANCIENT MOVIES IN MY TIME. HARD TO SAY THE SAME FOR YOU, XENO. HOW DO YOU KNOW OF THEM?"

"As a diplomat, I had to learn a few things about ancient human history," Speaker begrudged. "It's a shame the Empire came crumbling down at the hands of the Rebels."

"LOOK AT MR FUCKING EDGY HERE. I BET YOU HATE UNIVERSALLY LOVED STORIES ON YOUR ICEBALL OF A HOMEWORLD."

"You are quite crass for an honorable warrior, Fell-Handed."

"IT COMES WITH BEING OLDER THAN MOST CIVILIZATIONS," Bjorn retorted.

Before the argument could heat up any more, a bell chimed over the intercom.

" _This is Dragon. We have repaired the ship's communications array, and are currently talking to our friends back on Earth. Thankfully, it appears that things are going well with this world's variant of the United States. They are giving us permission to land a Starbug in a special area in Utah, where they will assist us with equipment repairs and the such. Make your way to Hangar Three in thirty minutes if you desire to go planetside._ "

"ABOUT FUCKING TIME; I WAS STARTING TO GET A BIT CLAUSTROPHOBIC BEING COOPED UP IN HERE."

"Aren't you in a sarcophagus all the time?"

"SHUT UP."

* * *

 **A**

* * *

 _Race Free Zone_ , _Utah_

Lister let in a deep whiff of the breeze coming off of the Great Salt Lake. "Ah, it's good to be back on Earth."

"Yes, good to be on Earth with pretty horrible living conditions," Rimmer commented dryly, his nose crinkling. "For one thing, they still have a Utah."

"Could you try not being a smeghead for a few minutes?" Lister asked, exasperated. "We're back home! Home! Did you ever think we'd see it again?"

"I now regret that we have," Rimmer muttered.

"Smeghead."

"Oh, _I'm_ the smeghead? Tell me, who allowed these hooligans to basically hijack our ship just because they promised him a ticket to Fiji?"

"Perhaps we should regroup with the others," Kryten offered. "Those hooligans are waiting for us."

"Humph."

"I can't wait to see what kind of ladies Earth has to offer," Cat said, sniffing at some cologne he had sprayed on his wrist. "Now let's get this stupid stuff out of the way so I can get started."

With that, they made their way to the rest of the group.

* * *

 **S**

* * *

There was a sizable complex overlooking the lake, close to the 'Race Free Zone' that housed the last remnants of one of this Earth's invaders. It was a crowded area, now that two hundred starships the size of aircraft carriers had landed, depositing what I had been told was a colonization fleet. Now, it served as a temporary meeting ground between us and this world's American government.

"I feel like I've stepped into a comic convention," the President said. "Superwoman, Batman, _Godzilla..._ I didn't imagine I would be involved in this when I was sworn into office."

"It must be really overwhelming," Dragon said. "We can let you calm down a bit before beginning discussions-"

"No, no, that's fine. I can handle space aliens; I can handle this. Now, what those kids told me is the truth, isn't it? There's some ragtag group of powerful beings going around and conquering realities, led by what I believed only an hour ago to be a comic villain."

"That's pretty much the truth," I replied.

"I think it'll take a few hours with a nice bottle of scotch before I can really get used to saying that," the President said.

"Truth," Atvar said. The 'Fleeltord' of the former invaders had woken up from his fainting spell, and was now in the room with us. He was still uncomfortable; I could hear his heart beating like an hyperglycemic jackrabbit, but he seemed to have mustered control over himself.

"Thank you, by the way, for letting us regain some strength here," Dragon said. "Hopefully, it won't be long before we head off again."

"To save the multiverse," the President deadpanned.

"It sounds crazy, but sometimes fact can be stranger than fiction, I guess," I offered.

"ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE'RE APPARENTLY FACT," Bjorn added.

"Now, I understand that you need our help in the fight," the President continued. "That much you told me before we decided to come here."

"The enemy has access to at least one powerful warship," Colin said, folding his arms over his chest. "Most likely more, considering how they were able to hammer down their previous target from orbit."

"The enemy is also quick to limit our own moves," Yama said. "I do not know how, but this... Darkseid that the young ones speak of can block off entire worldlines from us. He seems to have limits, however, otherwise he would have closed them all off."

"That's why you're coming to us, instead of some other universe with bigger guns," the President said. "We're your only option."

"Essentially."

"This is where things get... problematic, then," the President said. "Officially speaking, I am stretching my legal powers just by granting you a reprieve here in American territory. The situation's been bad enough as it is ever since we took in the Colonization Fleet and gave them time to head back to Home."

"I can validate his claims," Atvar added. "The other nations wish nothing more than to reduce the Fleet into radioactive powder; they have yet to forgive us for the war."

"International tensions have been at their worst since the Cold War," the President continued. "Many in India and Sahara view us as traitors to humanity for giving them a safe zone, which is not a good thing when both nations have access to nuclear weaponry. Our fleet is one of the few things keeping things from getting hot. If we give you the fleet, then there could be attacks on the civilian colonists, which would also entail attacks on our own soil."

"That's it?" I hear Eren snarl from the corner of the room. "You're going to let everyone die because of some petty alien politics?!"

"Officially, I've done all I can to help you," the President said.

My ears perked up at the way he said 'officially'. Colin and Dragon did the same, as did Bjorn and Yama. They had the experience or technology to pick up the subtle change; the others seemed oblivious.

"I can't let the fact that the entire universe is at stake to risk war on just one planet, after all," the President continued, his voice shifting slightly. "That's why it would be a bad idea to tell you that about the two museum ships from the war, the ones with minimal security. They're very easy to rearm with your capabilities, after all, and I wouldn't want you to get any bright ideas and take them."

Ax shifted, as though to say something, only for Marco to elbow him into silence.

"Thank you," I said, smiling softly.

"Thank me for what?" the President asked, a smile of his own forming.

"You will have my help," Atvar said.

"THAT'S A PLEASANT SURPRISE," Bjorn said.

"If everything is indeed under threat, then that means Home is in danger," the Fleetlord continued. "My army is weak and demoralized from the war, their numbers vastly depleted. But I will not stand idle while the Emperor stands at risk, not while I draw breath."

"It's good to have you onboard, then," Dragon said.

"One last thing," the President interjected, turning to face me and Colin. "Could I have your autographs? It's for my kids."

Colin and I glanced at each other for a brief moment.

"I'll get a pen," I said.

* * *

==/*\==

* * *

 _Lunar Orbit, one hour later_

"I never thought we would fly to the moon," Asuka murmured, face glued to the porthole as she looked out at the silver landscape below them.

"Why does that sound familiar?" Shinji asked softly, his shoulder gently pressed against hers. "I know I've heard something like that before, but I can't really remember what it was."

"Wasn't there some popular song about that while we were fighting the Angels? It was the hit craze for a while before it petered out." Asuka let out a long sigh, eyes focused on the lava plains and craters coming into view. "It feels like it happened a long time ago, doesn't it? Everything was just batshit crazy, with the Angels and the giant monsters and the other universes... and now everything is just..."

"Crazy again?"

"Heh. You know we've lived weird lives when normal is strange," Asuka said, pushing herself off the bulkhead. "You think we'll ever get used to it, once we save everyone? Living like normal people, I mean."

"Maybe," Shinji replied, turning away from the porthole to face her. "We've done enough for a lifetime, and we can't even buy drinks yet. Maybe a normal, non-explosive life is what we get to make up for everything that happened. I think I'll join that garage band Kensuke and Toji made, once this is all over."

"Destroy All Monsters? Of course a baka like you would think that's a good idea," Asuka said, a faint smile on her face, only for it to disappear. "What's wrong?"

"W-what do you mean?" Shinji stammered, backing up a step.

Asuka folded her arms. "What do you mean what do I mean? I'm your girlfriend; I know when you're upset about something. Spit it out, baka."

 _Somewhere, there is a boy with a typewriter,_ Shinji found himself thinking.

"Nothing," he replied.

"Hmph." Asuka uncrossed her arms and sighed. "Come on, let's go see what the others are doing."

With that, they walked down the hall together. A few moments passed, then Shinji took Asuka's hand into his own.

* * *

 **S**

* * *

"We're within a few hundred miles of the ships the President told us about," Colin said, hands dancing over the console. "This bucket's observation equipment is rather subpar, but we should be able to get a good look at them."

"I already see them," I replied.

It was a rather impressive display, I had to admit. The two ships were easily a mile apart from each other, connected by thin struts that would be nearly impossible to see from a distance if you didn't have eyes like mine. They had been arranged as if to make it look as though they were locked in mortal combat with each other, complete with fake missiles suspended in space as they forever arced towards their targets, but never hitting.

The two ships were as different as night and day. One was a compact and heavily armed vessel; it was clear that the engineers had only one intention in mind when they hastily pieced it together. A pair of massive turrets, ripped straight from old WWII-era battleships, were attached to either side, along with an assortment of smaller guns and missile launchers. The amount of radiation coming from its heart was barely above background levels; they had removed its fuel, propellant, and warheads. Which, in this case, were all the same thing.

The other ship made it look puny in comparison. The thing was a cylinder a mile long and a mile wide, with designs unlike anything found on earth, from the bolts holding it together to the massive fusion engines that had carried it across the stars. It, too, was disarmed, but there was something still intimidating about it. While the human-designed ship was meant for space combat, this was meant to carry an entire people and conquer a world for them.

"The _Archangel Michael_ and _Thuktun Flishithy_ ," I heard Atvar say. "The two most important vessels of the war."

"And it appears that they are trying to contact us," Dragon added. "I'm patching them through right now."

Peering deeper into the ships, I saw that they were indeed manned by a skeleton crew of old-looking fithp. Veterans of the war, most likely; they would know how to keep it running better than anyone else. Focusing my senses, I managed to actually tune into their message before Dragon managed to. Hearing radio waves can be a nice perk at times.

"We surrender. I repeat, we surrender to your fithp. Message Bearer and the _Michael_ are yours, as are we."

"That was faster than expected," Colin murmured. "Were they secretly ordered?"

"No," Atvar replied. "The fithp surrender when they believe themselves to be outmatched. They will be as loyal to you as they were to their former leaders."

"We shouldn't force them into this," I said. "I'm not going to let a reflex make them into unwilling fighters."

"If what you say is true, then this is _everyone's_ fight," Atvar retorted. "They will help you restore the ships better than anyone else."

"BESIDES, IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE ENSLAVING THEM OR ANYTHING," Bjorn added. "WELL, IT _IS_ KINDA LIKE SLAVERY, BUT THESE XENOS FIND IT NORMAL."

"Way to change my opinion," I muttered dryly.

"Either way, they'll be loyal to their defeaters. Perhaps we should let them decide whether to help," Colin offered.

"Alright," I said. "But we can't strong-arm them."

* * *

 **S**

* * *

"We shall serve your herdmaster to the end," the leading fi' said, rolling onto his stomach.

"My herdmaster?" I asked.

"Yes," came the anxious reply. Unfurling a bifurcated trunk, the fi' pointed behind me.

Turning around, I saw he was pointing at none other than the massive form of Godzilla. The kaiju, along with his motley crew of fellow monsters, was watching the discussion keenly from the back of the massive hanger that had taken in both ships.

"Why do you believe him to be the herdmaster?" Speaker inquired, looking more than a little confused.

"Why else would such a ship be massive? It is for such large beings like him, and it is clear that he is the strongest of them all, with how they seem to defer to his presence. You must be his Breakers."

 _Breakers._ The thought send a chill up my spine. Did they really think I was supposed to make them adjust to serving the others?

"No Breakers," I said. "They are not needed."

"Strange, but not entirely so," the old fi' admitted. "As I fear to have such a large foot as his on my chest, would someone else perform the ceremony?"

There was a pregnant pause, then Speaker stepped forward and pressed his padded foot down on the fi's chest.

"Now, we shall fight for you," the fi' said, getting back on his feet. "I am Defensemaster Rufutzonth-nimp. We are we to go?"

* * *

 **Ω**

* * *

 _Elsewhere_

"At last," Darkseid rumbled.

Barachiel and the White Woman stood at either side of the New God, staring through the massive plasteel window at the structure before them. The new Yeerk Emperor paced behind them, occasionally glancing at the awesome sight before him.

It was as though God himself had produced a ribbon hundreds of millions of miles long and encircled a sun-like star with it, like the rim of a wheel around an axis. The sheer size of the structure was beyond any words to describe, it simply _was._ Walls a thousand miles high graced each edge of the ring, and between them lay continents and oceans bigger than entire worlds, occasionally hidden from view by jet-black squares thousands of miles on each side. Deserts that could fit thousands of Saharas, oceans that could swallow the Earth, jungles and forests that made even the Amazon seem like a speck of green; they were all laid out on the interior of the ring, a task that could keep surveyors occupied for millions of years.

"I've... I've seen Eldar craft worlds before," Barachiel murmured, awe clear in his voice as he spoke. "Massive ships the size of small moons, drifting through the void... this makes them look like children's toys."

"Incredible," the White Woman said. "I never knew the hands of Man could ever create something on such a scale."

"Three million Earths could be laid out here, and they would barely be able to cover this structure's area," Darkseid said. "This was once the mightiest thing in the galaxy, a triumph of engineering and science. But pride cometh before the fall, and the people of this world fell indeed. They are scattered now, primitive tribes occasionally wielding advanced relics of their lost zenith."

"Even with primitive levels of technology, they must be numerous," Barachiel muttered. "Trillions of them, even."

"Hundreds of trillions," Darkseid rumbled. "Unable to defend themselves, easy to break and subjugate. There are enough slaves and subjects and hosts here to serve our needs."

(My empire could have a population explosion for decades, letting our already massive numbers grow, and we would still be hard pressed to use even a fraction of the people here,) the Yeerk Emperor said. "This could serve us for millennia."

"That will not be necessary," Darkseid replied. "We need only take enough to defeat our enemies once and for all. Then we can sweep from world to world, unstoppable, until the entire multiverse is under our heel."

"This is the crux to the war," the White Woman said. "Our key to complete victory."

"It is called the Ringworld," the New God said, a smile creeping on his stony face. "And it shall be ours."

* * *

 ** _You have been reading:_**

 ** _CRISIS, Chapter Six: Race Against Time_**


	8. Chapter Seven: The Calm Before the Storm

Previously on

 **CRISIS**

 _The forces of good have gained more allies in the fight to save all of reality. The remnants of the Race Conquest Fleet, given sanctuary by their defeaters, now prepare to fight once more. Two ships also join the ranks, in the form of the_ Thuktun Flishithy _and the_ Archangel Michael. _Now that the playing field has been leveled, even if by only a small increment, the heroes rush to defeat the forces of evil once and for all._

 _They must travel on swift wings. While they recuperated from the previous battle, the legions of evil led by Darkseid now set their sights on none other than the Ringworld, a massive superstructure inhabited by trillions of defenseless natives. Winning it will be the crux of the war, for whomever triumphs._

 _As they race towards battle, the heroes prepare for the final storm, physically and emotionally._

* * *

 **S**

* * *

 _Aboard the Red Dwarf_

"S-superwoman?"

I became aware of a rapid heartbeat right behind me, and I turned to see Shinji standing in the hallway. I could smell the sweat and adrenaline coming off of him, and I saw that his heart was pumping blood rapidly through him as he grew nervous. Of course, there was also a red core the size of a pomelo right next to it, but I had a feeling that was a discussion for a later time.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"N-nothing," he stammered. "I w-was just heading over to see my friends."

"You can tell me if something's wrong, you know," I said. "You look like you're going to faint any second. Is there something you want to say, Shinji?"

It's just that... I mean... you kind of look like..." he trailed off, suddenly focusing on his shoes. As I studied him further, I realized he wasn't just nervous; he was _afraid._ He was getting ready to bolt or fight at any moment; there was even some activity going on within the core in his chest.

"Oh," I said, feeling a little guilty. "I see what you mean; it must make you nervous to see that face again."

"Did you know about her, that woman who attacked?" Shinji asked.

"No," I replied softly. "I was shocked when I saw my... her face. It was so much like me, and yet so different. It was like someone pretending to be me; she had my face, my voice, but it was all _wrong._ "

Shinji took a deep breath, calming himself. "Does that mean there are others out there? Other me's, other you's, other everyone?"

I sighed. "I guess that's the case. I spoke with that Yama guy about it, as well as your mother. She's very friendly and intelligent, by the way."

"She gets that a lot," Shinji chuckled. He was getting less nervous, now; I saw that his heart rate was returning to normal, and blood was returning to his face.

"Anyway, Yama seems to know a lot more about the whole multiverse thing than anyone else. If it's not infinite, then it might as well be. He said there's probably more than a few alternate versions of ourselves out there, in different situations maybe, but that was all he had on it."

"I don't Asuka would like the idea of other versions of her," Shinji murmured half-jokingly. "She's competitive enough as it is."

"Are you two an item?" I asked. "Just curious."

"She definitely wouldn't like you asking that question."

I chuckled at that. "There's no reason for her to worry. I'm already taken."

"Really? Who is he?"

" _Her_ cape name is Panacea," I replied. "She's on the ship, along with Batman and Dragon; she wears that medical-looking costume."

Shinji opened his mouth, as if to say something, then closed it again, cheeks burning red.

"Good for you," he managed to squeak. "S-sorry for thinking..."

"Oh, it happens all the time," I replied, suppressing the urge to laugh. "She and I got hitched a few months ago. I don't wear the ring while working."

(WAIT, SUPERWOMAN'S A LESBIAN?!)

At once, Shinji and I both focused on the source of the voice: a fly on the wall.

(Way to blow our cover, Marco,) Jake muttered.

(C'mon, man! Cut me some slack; I just figured out that our childhood idol is gay!)

"Both of you, demorph," I said, my voice hardening. "Now."

They complied quickly enough. Within half a minute, they were both back in human form, awkwardly dressed in leotards. To my side, I heard Shinji snicker.

"Sorry about the eavesdropping," Jake mumbled. His face was like that of a kid getting chewed out by his mother. "We didn't mean to hear about your, um, never mind. We needed to talk to you in private about something."

"What would need a private talk?" I asked.

"It's about the dude leading the bad guys," Marco replied. "The stone man with the red eyes that everyone keeps talking about. It's really important that we talk to you about him."

"Alright, then," I said, folding my arms. "Let's talk. Shinji stays, though."

Jake straightened, trying to regain some of his confidence. "We saw him. Marco, Tobias, Rachel, Cassie, me; we all saw him, before we wound up here. The thing is, we recognize him from the Superman comics."

"Again with Superman," I muttered. "What about him? Is he dangerous?"

"Dangerous? He's fucking _Darkseid,_ " Marco replied, only to pale when he realized he accidentally swore in front of me.

"Don't worry about it. Just keep on with what you're talking about," I said.

Marco took a deep breath. "Alright. So, in the comics, Darkseid is, like, Superman's greatest enemy. He's easily as strong as him, and way nastier when fighting, and he has these really powerful eye beams that can hone in on their target, no matter where they are. He's in charge of some distant planet, where a lot of people are, like, gods, and he's so powerful that no-one ever succeeds in taking his throne."

"Sounds like a generic conquerer from a bad pulp story," I said.

"He's more than just that," Marco continued. "I'm not joking when I say he's a god. He's not a person, like, he doesn't live like we do, or feel the same things we do. He's the literal embodiment of tyranny, spread out across the entire multiverse, where he makes avatars of himself that look the same."

There was something in his voice, the sheer desperate need to get the point across, that began to get me worried. Shinji was beginning to fidget as well; he was clearly getting nervous again.

"Are you sure what you saw was him?" I asked.

"As sure as I know my name," Marco replied. "This is serious stuff, otherwise I wouldn't be telling you this. I mean, five days ago, I thought you were just a character in a comic book. You, Batman, Godzilla; you were all just characters, not real people."

"It's really scary when I think about it," Jake mumbled. "What if we're not just fictional characters to each other? I mean, people from other universes meet in comic books and on TV, right? What if we're fictional? Could you imagine if everyone you knew and loved, including yourself, weren't actually real? If people were just watching our struggles just for entertainment?"

 _Don't worry,_ I wanted to say. _I see them._ But I couldn't, not when they were afraid enough as it was. It had been so hard for me to accept it at first; I couldn't let it get to them when it was already eating away at their insides.

"Somewhere, there's a boy with a typewriter," I heard Shinji whisper, too faint for the others to hear.

"I wouldn't think about that, not when there's more important stuff to worry about," I said, raising my voice slightly. "So, this Darkseid is more dangerous than the others know."

"I can't stress it enough," Marco said. "Do not fucking underestimate this guy. He's the toughest, scariest dude in a universe full of tough, scary dudes, and he _hates_ you."

"Me?" I asked, feeling a little confused. "I don't even know him."

"That's beside the point," Jake interrupted. "Marco and I have read Superman comics since we were both in diapers; we know our stuff. He... _you_ are the biggest icon of heroics in our world, and you don't even exist. You inspire people, every day, and give them hope for a better tomorrow. You are the gold standard for being a good person: kindness, empathy, willing to fight for what you believe in, but also watching out for everyone, no matter who or what they are, no matter what the odds are against you. You're who we all want to be, deep down inside."

"I... I don't know what to say," I said, feeling a little dumbstruck. I had never heard someone put it like that to me. To think that I was that much of an inspiration to some people...

"Darkseid is the complete opposite," Marco continued. "Everything that is good about you, about people in general, is what he hates the most. He's all about controlling people, breaking them and making their wills his own. He believes in cruelty, and despair, and hate and anger and everything that makes the world a worse place. You two are like yin and yang, completely opposed. And I think it scares him, that people can believe in something that is good, like hope and love and peace, and that's why he hates you and what you stand for above all things."

"I believe you, now," I said. The looks on their faces, the tiny micro movements of facial muscles as they spoke, the very light of their auras; they all pointed to the truth. Whatever 'Darkseid' was, he was real.

"That's a relief, I think. But we still need to do something about it. Above everyone else, he's the most dangerous of the bad guys. He could probably rip most of us apart without even trying. But you? You're the only one who can match him, and we need to stop him first, before he finishes what he's always after."

"You say he's after something?" Shinji asked. "What could he want? A weapon?"

"Worse," Jake replied. "In the comics, he's always trying to find a way to control everyone, absorb their souls or something like that. An Anti-Life Equation."

"So, you think he's after that," I said.

"If he gets it, then it's game over," Marco said. "We're all fucked. Sorry."

"Well then," I said, "let's make sure he never gets his hands on that."

"That's easier said than done," Jake said.

I smiled at them, even though I wasn't feeling it. "I'm Superwoman; I can do anything."

"Holy shit," Marco squeaked, grabbing Jake by the shoulder. "That's one of the catchphrases..."

"We'll get going, Superwoman." Jake said.

"Taylor."

"Huh?" Both of them had confused looks on their faces.

"My name's Taylor. Taylor Anne Hebert. It's not like I need to hide it from you."

Jake straightened. "Your secret's safe with us."

I chuckled. "Wasn't worried."

"Clara Kent's cooler," Marco grumbled.

"Shut up, Marco," Jake hissed back.

With that, the two went trotting back down the hall, arguing with each other all the way.

"That... was kinda funny," Shinji said.

"Was there something you wanted to talk about?" I asked.

He took a deep breath. "No."

"Alright, if you don't want to say anything yet. Want to go see the others? I might be able to get you Batman's autograph."

Shinji's eyes brightened at that. "I mean, if he isn't busy..."

I smiled again. "Come on, let's go see what he's up to."

We followed after the others, strolling past vast windows that showed fields of stars. I couldn't think about them, however; something else troubled me.

 _Somewhere, there's a boy with a typewriter._

* * *

 **A**

* * *

(Nice going, embarrassing yourself like that,) Tobias snickered as Marco and Jake joined him at the table with the others. Lister and the other original crew were there as well, arguing about whether or not vindaloo could count as a beverage.

"Come on, don't be so rough on them like that," Cassie said. "You'd feel just as awkward in their place."

(Doesn't make it any less funny,) Tobias replied, casually preening his wing.

"Shut up, emohawk," Marco grumbled in retort.

"Emohawk?! Where?!" Rimmer practically screamed, jumping out of his seat.

"It could be anywhere, man!" Lister screamed in reply. "We need to grab the bazookoids!"

(I do not believe that-) Ax began, only to realize that they had already sprinted down the hallway.

"What the hell was that about?" Marco asked aloud.

(I am unsure,) Ax said, reaching for the vindaloo Lister had left behind. (Perhaps there is something else called an emohawk?)

"It's from a TV show, if what Dragon said was true," a soft, feminine voice said behind them.

Turning in their seats, they saw a woman approaching them. She wore a loose white tunic, with a red caduceus emblazoned on the front. Mousy brown hair went down to her shoulders, framing a freckled face and honey brown eyes.

"You're Panacea, right?" Jake said. "Superwoman's... wife."

"That must have given you a double take," Panacea replied. "It's a lot more accepted where I come from. Anyway, I heard I could be of use here, something about your nothit friend."

( _Nothlit,_ ) Ax corrected.

"Sorry; it's hard to remember all the alien words getting thrown around." Panacea stepped closer, gaze focused on Tobias. "I believe I can help you get your human form back, while allowing you to keep your abilities."

Tobias stopped preening.

(What.)

"You can do that?" Cassie asked, disbelief clear in her voice.

"T- Superwoman isn't the only miracle worker around here," Panacea replied. "First, I'll need you to 'morph' back into your normal form, then I'll need a lot of extra meat."

"How much?" Rachel asked. "You better not be fucking with us on this."

"I'm not. And I need at least a hundred and fifty pounds."

(Hold on,) Tobias said. Dropping from his little perch, he began to morph, bones cracking and shifting audibly as he grew in size, until he was a twelve-year-old boy again.

"I don't have much time with this," he said. "If I stay for more than two hours, then I'll be stuck like this forever, _and_ unable to help out."

"It won't be for long," Panacea replied. She took hold of Tobias's hand, pulling his sleeve back. "Don't freak out."

"What-" he began, only for his eyes to widen.

The flesh around his wrist shifted ever so slight under his skin, and he felt a strange, numbing sensation run up his arm. Then, his hand _came off_ , with nary a spurt of blood or a jolt of pain.

"Don't freak out," Panacea hurriedly repeated. "I need some of your DNA to work with, and preferably a lot. You can demorph, now."

Tobias stared at his stump of a hand, then demorphed, shrinking back into the form of a red-tailed hawk. He stared up at Panacea, still managing to convey a look of disbelief.

"My superpower's biokinesis," she said. "I can manipulate tissue and cells any way I want, if they're familiar enough to me. Now, I just need some biomass to work with."

"Aaaand where are we going to get a buck fifty of steak?" Marco asked.

"Hold on," Rachel said. "I think I have an idea."

She began to morph, rapidly growing in size as her flesh shifted and bubbled. Her skin turned grey and wrinkled in texture, and massive tusks began to sprout from her face as she went on all fours. In less than a minute, an African elephant stood in the room, pointing its trunk at Panacea.

(Do that same trick with this.)

After a moment's hesitation, the biokinetic complied. It took only a few extra moments before the trunk came off, as bloodless and painless as before. Once the limb was off, Rachel began to demorph, soon returning to normal.

Panacea knelt down with the trunk and hand, and beckoned for Tobias to come closer. Once he was within range, she sandwiched him between the two body parts.

"This will feel a little weird."

It was certainly a bizarre sight. The flesh bubbled and warped around Tobias, engulfing him, and suddenly began to shape itself into the crude form of a man. Minutes passed as bones formed and shifted underneath muscles, while skin began to grow in place. Eyes formed in place, along with the rest of the face, and hairs began to sprout from the skin. Clothes even began to form, separating from skin to form basic coverings.

Finally, Panacea stepped back. Tobias stood before the group, virtually identical to how his human morph looked. He looked a bit taller, however, and broader in the shoulders, with more mature features.

"I-it worked," Tobias mumbled in disbelief, looking over his body. "I feel almost the same as before, except a bit bigger."

"I aged you up to match with the others," Panacea replied.

Tobias stepped forward, hands trembling. Then, with sudden speed, he wrapped his arms around her, squeezing tightly. As quickly as it happened, he let go, then took a step back.

"T-thank you," Tobias whispered, tears threatening to well in his eyes. "Thank you."

Panacea managed a soft smile. "Think nothing of it."

With that, she walked out of the room, leaving the others to celebrate with their friend.

* * *

 **Y**

* * *

"ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO TOUCH THAT? MOST PEOPLE CATCH FIRE WHEN THEY DO."

"I'm more than fairly well-versed in the art of science and machinery," Yama replied, delicately removing the promethium fuel tank from Bjorn's flamethrower. The Dreadnaught's innards were displayed for all to see, save for the sarcophagus itself, which remained connected to its power source. It was clear that the machinery keeping Bjorn alive had seen better days; much of it seemed to be held together by faith alone.

"YOU KNOW, MANY IN THE ADEPTUS MECHANICUS WOULD CONSIDER WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERESY, PUNISHABLE BY EXECUTION VIA BOLTER ROUND TO THE FACE."

"I don't see why you worry yourself with what you know to be mere superstitions and obstructive dogmas," Yama grunted, removing a mass of wires and batteries with a more streamlined device. There was a low hum, and gears began to whir together with unprecedented efficiency.

"I DIDN'T SAY I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT," Bjorn boomed.

"And you shouldn't; these alterations will make you worth a dozen Dreadnaughts, with none of the weakness that comes with being spread out," Yama said. "It's a shame, really; from what you have told me, your own Urath could have forged a golden age, where superstition was banished."

"WELL, THAT WOULD REALLY FUCK YOU OVER, WOULDN'T IT?" Bjorn bellowed in reply, wildly gesticulating with his free arm. "I KNOW OF YOUR KIND, DEATHGOD."

"My kind?" Yama asked tiredly, more focused on the task at hand.

"YES. YOU ARE A PRETENDER, A MAN WHO KEPT POWER OVER THE OPPRESSED MASSES WITH A FAÇADE OF DIVINITY. I FOUGHT FALSE GODS LIKE YOU ON A HUNDRED WORLDS. I _KILLED_ FALSE GODS LIKE YOU ON A HUNDRED WORLDS. MAKE NO MISTAKE, O 'DEATHGOD'; THOUGH WE ARE UNITED AS ALLIES AGAINST THE FORCES THAT ASSAIL US, WE ARE NOT FRIENDS. I WOULD SMASH YOUR HAUGHTY ASS INTO THE EARTH IF YOU WEREN'T SO IMPORTANT."

Yama chuckled as he placed point-defense lasers into the Dreadnaught's chassis.

"I know of what you speak of, mighty Fell-Handed," he said. "Yes, you speak the truth, or whatever we call the truth, when you say that I used falsehoods to keep the unfortunate in check. Note, however, of how I refer to those times, venerable one. It has been nearly a hundred years since I renounced my divinity and waged my war against Heaven, though my initial intentions were nothing as noble as securing freedom for my world. I fought, and I lost, but I fought again, once more charging onto the breach with Great-Souled-Sam, the Buddha."

He placed a thick panel over the Dreadnaught's exposed flank and secured it in place.

"My intentions were not glorious when I began my campaign alongside Tathagatha, but time changes many things, as you should know, mighty Fell-Handed. The war ended, with the forces of Heaven defeated beyond recovery, and the Binder of Demons disappeared forevermore, though I still find myself searching for him. He embraced the philosophy he used to win, I believe, or, barring that, simply settled down in a place I would never suspect him to be. In the lull of that time, I found myself thinking of what my actions had wrought, and what I could do in the future."

"SO YOU DECIDED TO HELP YOUR WORLD, AND THEN GOT INVOLVED IN THIS CLUSTERFUCK," Bjorn finished. "I MUST SAY, THAT MAKES YOU SOUND A LOT LESS LIKE A DICK."

"I suppose you could put it that way," Yama said, rising to his feet. Giving the Dreadnaught's hull a pat, he sat down at a nearby bench and began to roll up a cigarette.

A few moments passed in silence as Bjorn tested his improved chassis, opening and closing his Power Claws.

"IT WAS A WOMAN, WASN'T IT? YOU FOUGHT FOR A WOMAN."

"Kali, her name was," Yama said wistfully, eyes gazing out into space. "She was, perhaps, the first I ever loved. Or, at least, thought I loved. Though I held her dearest in my heart, she held other things dearer than me. War, the spilling of blood in combat. She died the real death, doing what she loved, I suppose; the final battle took her away from it all. "

"What was the war in heaven?" another voice asked.

Turning, both Dreadnaught and deathgod saw the Animorphs enter the room, curious looks on their faces. The hawk was gone, they noted; a boy had taken its place.

"AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE BUGGING SUPERWOMAN?" Bjorn asked.

Marco shook his head. "Nah, she and the others are busy upgrading the ships we stole. We decided to bug out around here."

(Metaphorically, of course,) Ax added. (There are some others who wish to come in here as well. Apparently your backstory is of high interest.)

As if to confirm his statement, Eren and Levi walked in, followed by Armin. Shinji and his group walked in as well, taking seats in the corner of the room.

"You have all been waiting for me to tell my tale, haven't you?" Yama asked, his voice soft.

"There's nothing better to do," Asuka quipped. "All this waiting is making me twitchy."

"I'VE TOLD STORIES FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS," Bjorn said, settling down. "I THINK I GET TO HEAR A FEW. AND DON'T SKIMP ON THE DETAILS; THEY'RE WHAT MAKES THE STORY _REALLY_ INTERESTING."

Yama sighed. "All right, then. Gather round, if you wish."

The Animorphs sat down closest, leaning against a turned over bench. Eren and his comrades leaned in closer; Levi poured them tea from a pot he had brought along.

Yama finished rolling his cigarette and lit it, the match illuminating his worn features. Taking a deep puff, he leaned forward in his seat and began.

"His followers called him Mahasamatman and said he was a god. He preferred to drop the Maha- and the -atman, and called himself Sam. He never claimed to be a god. But then, he never claimed not to be a god..."

* * *

 **S**

* * *

" _Message Bearer_ is ready once more for war, Attackmaster," Rufutzonth-nimp said, gesturing to the massive ship in the _Dwarf_ 's hangar. "We have restocked its supply of missiles and laser batteries, with the help of your advisors."

"We're definitely going to need them," I replied, giving the _Thuktun Flishithy_ a once over. Sure enough, I could see the newly-fabricated missiles being put into place, with some of them glowing faintly in the x-ray spectrum as their fissile payloads slowly deteriorated. Having seen what nuclear weaponry had done in the fight against the Endbringers, I prayed they wouldn't even be considered.

"Work on the other ship is progressing smoothly as well, thanks to your, er, machine advisor," the Defensemaster said. "I have no doubt that victory will come swiftly, and that the enemy will be inducted into the herd."

 _I wish I could share your enthusiasm,_ I found myself thinking.

Instead, I said, "Keep up with the good work. The Herdmaster is pleased with our progress."

As if on cue - which it might've actually been -, Godzilla lifted his head in our direction, a low chuff escaping him. He and the other kaiju had, with Miki's guidance, actually helped out with heavy lifting while restoring the two ships, which freed me up to super-speed micromanaging. In the back, I could see Gamera carefully hoisting a battleship turret back into place, with Anguirus and Rodan keeping the _Michael_ stable.

"I will hasten our efforts, then." Rufutzonth-nimp bowed his head slightly and turned to speak with a younger-looking fi'.

While he did that, I gently took to the air, making for the de facto meeting room across the hangar. Both the _Thuktun Flishithy_ and the _Michael_ were being worked on by a small army of fithp and Dragon's drones. The hangar had been intended to house massive asteroids, I recalled, which explained how two warships could comfortably rest inside of them. I would've helped more with preparations, but I feared my lack of engineering knowledge would only make things worse.

* * *

 **S**

* * *

Atvar and Kirel were already there; apparently, being early was still fashionably late to them. They swiveled their eye turrets in my direction as I walked inside, and I saw that Kirel's heart raced as he saw me.

"The eve before battle has finally come, has it not?" Atvar inquired tiredly. Though I still knew very little about his species, I could still see the _age_ behind his eyes. It was not a defeated look, no matter would some would believe; I could also see the iron determination in his soul, unbroken.

"It seems like it," I replied. "We've been in hyperspace for a while; if what Louis said is right, we should be arriving at the Ringworld within a few hours."

"I see," Atvar said. "My troopmales grow wary of what is to come, but they have been through what you would call Hell, Tosevite."

"I was born on Krypton," I said. "Just look human."

"A Kryptonite, then." Atvar adjusted himself in his seat before continuing. "I only hope that this will all be worth it, in the end. The safety of the Colonization Fleet, and my people, hinge on what is to come. They call me 'Atvar the Defeated', back on Home. The first Fleetlord to be denied the title of Conquerer, the embarrassment of the Race and the Emperor."

"At least you still want to protect them," I offered. "Maybe they'll recognize what you've done, after you help us save the multiverse."

"Truth," the Fleetlord murmured.

Kirel opened his mouth to say something, only to be interrupted when the others started to enter the room. Anyone who could actually fit inside was soon there, while Godzilla and the other kaiju peered inside from a improvised viewing port Dragon had constructed. Part of me almost wanted to take a picture of the whole scene, just to remark on how absurd it felt.

"We shall arrive in a short time," Yama began, breaking the silence first. "The enemy will likely be waiting for us, with open gunport and missile pods. From the few glimpses through the Brahman that I've managed, it appears that they are starting to land on the Ringworld en masse, capturing vast swaths of territory. They have the massive barge, as well as several smaller Yeerk vessels. If I'm not mistaken, then two of the leaders are on the bridge of the barge."

"KNOWING THE FORCES OF CHAOS, WE'LL NEED TO TAKE OUT THOSE GROUND FORCES BEFORE THEY START STRENGTHENING THEMSELVES WITH BLOODSHED AND CONQUEST," Bjorn said.

"They'd cut any landing forces into mincemeat," Louis said. "And that's assuming we don't accidentally wind up within range of the meteor defenses."

"Indeed," Speaker added. "If we are to land on the Ring again, we must divert their warships away from our forces. It will also serve to weaken their hold on the ground when they can't utilize orbital bombardment."

" _Message Bearer_ and the other ship will provide more than enough distraction," Rufutzonth-nimp declared. "The additions made by the mechanical advisor will only serve to make them stronger."

"It still might not be enough," Dragon said. "I've enhanced the anti-missile defenses, as well as the armor of the ship, but there's only so much you can do there. If they possess relativistic weaponry, those ships may only be able to get off one good volley before getting shredded."

"I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IMPERIUM VESSELS ARE NOT THE MOST ACCURATE," Bjorn boomed. "TRUST ME; I'VE BEEN ON THEM. AND UNLESS THE TRAITOR PRIMARCH SOMEHOW ACTUALLY GOT SMARTER WHEN HE LET CHAOS LITERALLY FUCK HIS MIND, THEY WONT HAVE GUNS LIKE THAT."

"Eloquently put," I heard Asuka mutter.

"So, assuming if we actually get on the ground, who's actually going?" Jake asked.

"Godzilla and the other kaiju aren't really able to fight in space, with maybe the exception of Gamera, so they'll be on the ground," Miki replied. "With the exception of Superwoman, they're the powerhouses of our group."

Godzilla let out a satisfied growl at that.

"Where Gamera goes, we go," Armin piped up. "I'm his link; we strengthen each other."

"You'd also be a rather vulnerable target," Colin replied. "What we're going up against are far more fearsome than even the Titans you faced."

"I'll protect him," Eren said, putting a firm hand on his friend's shoulder. Levi nodded in agreement.

"It's still not enough," Colin said. "Dragon can lend more than a few drones to help, and I'll be more useful down there as well."

"If you're going down there, then we are, too," Jake added. "Who can pass up the chance to fight alongside the goddamn Batman?"

Colin clenched his jaw at that; I could see that the idea made him uncomfortable, for a number of reasons. They were still _kids,_ I had to remember. Kids with access to incredible abilities, but still kids. Sure, the Wards used to have pretty young members, but they were kept away from the brunt of the danger. Here? I couldn't think of a more dangerous place for them to be.

"Who else is heading down?" I asked aloud.

"Free or dead!" the Hork-Bajir bellowed, raising their bladed arms in a war-cry.

"COUNT ME IN. I CAN'T WAIT TO SHOW THE TRAITORS WHAT IT MEANS TO BETRAY THE IMPERIAL TRUTH; I'M THE OLDEST WARRIOR IN THE IMPERIUM WITH GOOD REASON."

Yama nodded, as did Atvar and Speaker.

"I'm heading down," Amy said.

"That's-" I began, only for her to grab my hand and squeeze it gently.

"I'll be _useless_ if I stay up here," she said, her voice soft and almost pleading. Her honey brown eyes stared into my own. "On the ground, I'll be able to keep everyone going. There's going to be injuries, you know that."

For the briefest moment, as I looked into her eyes, I forgot about everything else. Instead of the oppressive grey of the ship, we stood on a hill overlooking Brockton Bay, the sun shining down warmly, and I remembered the joy I felt when she said yes.

I took a deep breath, and suddenly I was back on the ship. "Okay. I want you away from the front lines, where there's less risk."

"We both know that won't help," Amy said, forcing a smile.

She let go of my hand, and I turned back to the rest of the group.

"Alright then, it looks like we have the ground force," I said. "Now who's manning what ships?"

"I should remain with _Message Bearer,_ " Rufutzonth-nimp said. "It is familiar to me."

"Nessus and I can man the _Bastard_ ," Louis quipped. "I don't think they can get through a General Products hull, and it'll make for an even better distraction.

The Puppeteer trembled slightly, but said nothing to object. It seemed he had recovered from the shock of what I had told him, thankfully.

"We'll stay here," Lister said. "We'd probably accidentally blow up the ships if we went aboard."

"Wait a minute, what about you?" Marco suddenly asked, pointing at me. "Where are you during all this?"

I sighed. "I'm going straight for Darkseid."

At that, the room became deathly silent. Atvar and Kirel looked around, confused, as did the fithp present. They could still sense something was amiss, however, and I saw that they were growing nervous.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Dragon inquired. "I've done quite a bit of research, based on whatever data stores I could find. He seems powerful, incredibly so."

"Which is why I'm the one going after him," I replied. "He's the one who's leading the whole thing; if we beat him, the whole operation of theirs might fall apart, or at least get disorganized enough to snag us a victory."

"He's also fucking _Darkseid_ ," Marco quipped. "As in, the literal embodiment of tyranny I warned you about. For all we know, he can kick you ass all the way to Beatdownville: population one."

"Got any better ideas?" I retorted. "If he's as tough as you say, then the others would just be cannon fodder. I'm not going to let him slaughter you guys just for a slight advantage."

"Fair point," Colin said. "There's also that... _thing_ with him. She might give you enough trouble for the odds to turn against you, even if you could take Darkseid alone."

There was another silence after that. Then, suddenly, Shinji stepped forward.

"I'll go with you."

"She nearly killed you last time," I said. "You'd be able to help better on the ground."

"That was different," he replied. He looked scared to death, but he pressed on. "I've suppressed what I can really do, because of what would happen to everyone else if I didn't. But now, with how bad it is, I don't think I can afford to hold back like that anymore."

I sighed. "Alright."

"LOOKS LIKE IT'S ALL PLANNED OUT, THEN," Bjorn bellowed. "NOW LET'S MAKE OUR PEACE BEFORE WE GET INTO THE BREACH OR HOWEVER THE FUCKING PHRASE GOES."

* * *

 **A**

* * *

 _Later_

" _Twenty_ _minutes to arrival,_ " Dragon declared over the intercom.

Jake took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. He and the others had found a small room to enjoy their privacy in, before the fight began. Ax knelt nearby, quietly murmuring an Andalite battle hymn, and the others sat at either side, all looking as nervous as he felt.

"Does anyone else realize just how fucking insane this is?" Marco asked aloud. "I feel like we're in some epic comic arc with crossovers and stuff."

"Most of the time, they don't die in those stories," Tobias retorted.

"I don't think we should be so pessimistic about it," Cassie piped up. "I mean, we have some of the greatest heroes on any Earth with us."

"And the bad guys have Darkseid," Jake said. "Even if she beats him, there's still probably going to be casualties."

"It's better that way," Rachel declared, draping an arm over Tobias's shoulder. "Possibly dying while fighting to save the multiverse? I'd take that over hiding any day of the week. Even if we lose this, at least we'll lose knowing we made them bleed like a fucker."

(Spoken like a true warrior,) Ax said. (As the Hork-Bajir say, free or dead.)

"Free or dead," Tobias said.

"Free or dead," Marco and Rachel quipped, near-simultaneously.

Cassie's hand found Jake's own. "Free or dead."

Jake took a deep breath.

"Free or dead," he said.

* * *

 **Y**

* * *

"Once more I walk the path of war," Yama murmured, taking a puff of his cigarette. "Though I may die the real death, I shall not fear it, for it is part of the illusion of the world, and the end of the illusion shall not be the end of me."

He flicked the cigarette away, and ground it beneath his heel.

"I wish you were here, Sam," he said softly.

* * *

 **==/*\==**

* * *

Asuka pressed her lips against Shinji's, almost territorial as she did so.

"You're coming back to me," she whispered in his ear. "Got that, baka? I don't care what some insane goddess thinks; you're coming back."

 _Somewhere, there is a boy with a typewriter._

Shinji clenched his hands into fists.

"I will," he said, his voice firm. "I _will._ "

* * *

 **B**

* * *

"I SERVE THE EMPEROR, FOR HE SERVES THE TRUTH," Bjorn recited, recalling what they used to say before the dark times. "I SERVE RUSS, FOR HE SERVES THE EMPEROR."

* * *

 **==/*\==**

* * *

Godzilla looked at the gathered kaiju before him. His friends, his _family_. He had fought with them, bled with them, for longer than Man had walked the Earth. Gamera stood amongst them, a stranger, but he saw in the terrapin's heart that he too was a friend.

No sounds needed be uttered. Their hearts were set, no matter what was said. They would do what they always did, for millions of years.

Fight.

* * *

 **B**

* * *

I WILL SERVE THE TRUTH, WITH BLADE AND BOLTER, AND I SHALL NEVER FALTER WHILE I WALK THE PATH OF TRUTH..."

* * *

 **T**

* * *

"Whatever happens, we're there till the end," Eren said.

Armin nodded. "Till the end."

"Agreed," Levi said.

* * *

 **-/-\\-**

* * *

"Emperor guide us all," Atvar said, standing before what remained of the once-proud Conquest Fleet.

"This is bigger than just him," a Rabotev shouted. Wallafess, Atvar recalled.

"Truth. Yes, it is bigger than him. But it is not bigger than what he believes in, and that is the well-being of us all."

"Emperor guide us all!" Kirel barked.

"Emperor guide us all!" the rest bellowed back.

* * *

 **R**

* * *

"Better smeg than dead," Lister said.

"Agreed," Kryten said.

"Yeah, that seems good," Rimmer added. "Now let's go hide until it's all over."

* * *

 **O**

* * *

"Ya know, I wonder if Teela's luck will help us," Louis said.

"How so?" Speaker inquired, not looking up as he tested the variable sword.

"Well, it'd be pretty bad luck for her if the entire multiverse got conquered. That has to count for something, right?"

"You can only hope," Nessus retorted.

"We humans are pretty good at that," Louis said. "And look where we are, now."

"Charming," Speaker muttered.

* * *

 **S**

* * *

I held Amy tight in my arms, pressing my forehead against hers.

"Whatever happens, just remember that I love you," I whispered.

Amy pressed her lips against mine.

"You're Superwoman. You can do anything."

* * *

 **B**

* * *

He draped his old pelt over his chassis again.

"FOR RUSS. FOR THE ALLFATHER. FOR THE WOLFTIME."

* * *

 **S**

* * *

"Almost there," Yama declared over the intercom.

We all stood at our stations. Shinji stood next to me at the airlock, already in his armor. Though he tried to hide it, I could see just how afraid he was.

"Ready," Louis reported on the intercom as well.

"READY."

"Ready, Attackmaster."

"Ready," I said.

"Alright," Yama declared. "Exiting hyperspace in five...four...three...two...one... _"_

I took a deep breath. _Focus._

" _Now._ "

* * *

 _ **You have been reading:**_

 _ **CRISIS, Chapter Seven: The Calm Before the Storm**_


	9. Chapter Eight: Götterdämmerung, Part I

Previously on

 **CRISIS**

 _It has all come to this moment. The forces of good converge on the Ringworld, where they shall do battle with the legions of evil. Never before have the stakes ever been so high, for all of reality shall succumb if the wrong side wins. Everything hinges on this moment, from the smallest grain of sand, to entire universes full of indescribable wonders._

 _Win or lose, it ends._

* * *

 **Ω**

* * *

 _Somewhere on the Ringworld_

"My lord?"

Barachiel turned to face a Brother-Captain, tearing away from the overwhelming view spread out beneath him. He had set up camp on a nearby mountain, taller than anything found back on Terra, where he could see the progress of entire armies as they rolled across the defenseless natives.

"What is it?" he asked, barely suppressing an impatient growl. Part of him wished to broil the Astartes alive, or perhaps take his time with flaying him. Such a strong specimen would make for a worthy sacrifice to Khorne... but he knew to restrain himself. There would be plenty of time for sacrifices and offers to the gods, once he had the ring under his heel.

"My lord... it appears that the enemy has arrived. A massive ship, similar to the one that attacked last time, has just entered the vicinity."

"Have the _Maelstrom_ blast it-"

Suddenly, a jolt of pain stabbed through the Primarch's head, nearly bringing him to his knees.

" _ **You are not in control here, Primarch,**_ " Darkseid growled, his voice like a jagged blade on the soul. " _ **Strengthen your positions, and prepare for a ground assault. I will deal with the ships in orbit.**_ "

"O-of course," Barachiel managed to choke out.

The presence left his mind, and he had to resist the urge to cry out in relief. Instead, he turned back to the Brother-Captain, clenching his fists hard enough to draw blood.

"Prepare the defenses," he barked. "There's going to be an assault on our position."

"Yes, my lord," the Brother-Captain replied, bowing his head and scurrying out of sight.

Barachiel watched him go, snorting with contempt, then turned to overlook the progress down below. His hand found the massive warp-sword on his hip, and he gripped the handle tightly, feeling as the chaotic energies of the Empyrean flowed through it and into him.

He hoped that the enemy would come from the sky, raining destruction down upon him and his army. He hoped that they would be even stronger than before, so he could take pleasure in defeating them and offering their broken bodies to his thirsting gods.

And most of all, he hoped that the loathsome reptile called Gojira would face him once more, so he could personally offer its skull to Khorne.

* * *

 **S**

* * *

All hell broke loose.

As soon as we came into real space, Shinji and I bolted out of the airlock, not even bothering to let it open all the way. The void greeted us, studded with distant stars, with the Ringworld stretching out beneath in all directions, impossibly huge. It took me a few moments to even begin to appreciate just how massive the thing was; even the small seas and forests immediately in view would dwarf entire continents.

Millions of miles away, too small for the human eye to see, the enemy fleet was beginning to turn its attention to us. Yeerk vessels began to make their way, while the titanic battle barge lurched forward in complete silence, gun ports already opening up. The bigger cannons on the ship could swallow an entire Blade Ship whole, and I realized just how much trouble our own fleet would be in.

"Ground team, drop!" Dragon barked.

A small flotilla of Starbugs and Tinker-made shuttles shot out of the _Dwarf's_ cavernous underbelly, racing towards the curve of the Ringworld. Unmanned drones came next, each pushing one of the kaiju towards the surface like a jetpack.

"I see some Yeerk fighters heading our way, closing in fast," Colin warned over the radio. I didn't need an earpiece to hear him; which simplified things. If worse came to worse, I could act as a relay for information.

"We shall ensure they never reach you," Rufutzonth-nimp declared.

With that, the _Thuktun Flishithy_ and _Archangel Michael_ emerged from the _Dwarf._ Something flared in the x-ray spectrum, and I realized that the _Michael_ had fired its bomb-pumped lasers. Several flameless detonations a half-second later confirmed that they had found their marks.

"We're clear," Colin reported. "Focus on the big ones, now, we're entering the atmosphere."

"Understood," the Defensemaster replied.

I watched as the landing craft entered the upper fringes of the atmosphere, taking advantage of friction to slow down as they careened in a gradual slope to the action down below. If I listened closely enough, I could hear Amy's heartbeat, trying to remain calm and even as she raced to the biggest fight we had ever been in. If anything happened to her down there...

Shinji tapped my shoulder, jarring me back to reality, and I turned to face him.

"Are they on the big ship?" he asked. "Darkseid and the other one, I mean."

I studied the battle barge, peering through layers of armor plating as I rapidly searched each room. Sure enough, Darkseid and the not-me were on the bridge, watching the windows with grim certainty.

"I see them," I said, only to remember that Shinji didn't have super-hearing. So, I gave him a thumbs up.

He nodded, trying to stay calm. "Okay. Let's pay them a visit."

I watched as the _Thuktun Flishithy_ and _Michael_ moved into attack range, lasers flaring as they began to drill holes in Yeerk ships that got too close. Missiles swarmed out of their pods, and the _Michael_ fired off a salvo from its battleship turrets. The battle barge's defenses came to life, a swarm of bullets engulfing the incoming projectiles.

With the ship distracted, I lunged forward, Shinji trailing behind me.

* * *

 **Ω**

* * *

 _Aboard the World Maelstrom_

(Those two monstrous ships are blasting our fighters out of the sky!) the Yeerk Emperor roared over the vox. (We've already lost several smaller attack vessels to them, and it hasn't even been ten minutes yet! Why aren't you vaporizing them?!)

"They fight smart," Darkseid rumbled, folding his arms across his chest. "They are staying out of range of the _Maelstrom_ 's main batteries. Have your fighters circle around and harass them, box them into our sphere of range."

There was a moment's pause before the Emperor replied. (Understood.)

"Good," Darkseid said, switching the vox off.

"If only he realized that these toys are the least of our concerns," the White Woman remarked, her voice barely above a whisper. "I sense that the boy has grown stronger since our last meeting; he is now unleashing his full potential and embracing godhood. No doubt the Kryptonian comes with him as well, to face us directly."

To her surprise, a grin broke out on Darkseid's stony face.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

 **==/*\==**

* * *

 _The Ringworld_

The wind howled past Godzilla's ears, drowning out anything else as he dropped to the ground below. Though he knew that others had vision better than his own, Godzilla's eyesight was beyond that of any human; already he could see the enemy forces milling around, miles beneath him. Only now were they realizing what was happening, and by then it would be too late.

The unmanned drone let go of him, its fuel depleted, and he fell freely, dropping like a stone. In the corner of his eye, he saw Gamera's rockets flare to life, slowing the massive terrapin's descent, and Rodan soared with outstretched wings, Mothra trailing closely behind. Swarms of aircraft converged on their position, and they flew to greet them in battle, ignoring the missiles and shells bouncing off of their skin.

Godzilla finally landed, pancaking a boxy tank and dozens of troops beneath his massive feet. He plowed deep into the soil, stopping only when his feet made contact with the hard foundation underneath, sending a jolt up his spine. A massive cloud of dust rose around him, obscuring his form.

Climbing out of the newly made crater, he saw Anguirus land nearby, similarly unharmed, and the others following suit. Already the enemy was attacking, peppering them with shells and missiles. Junior was the first to go on the offensive, light dancing along his spines as he blasted a tank with his atomic fire. Gamera joined in soon after, rocking the battlefield with massive explosions as he let loose with his fireballs.

An unnatural roar reached Godzilla's ears, and he turned to see more of the strange creatures he had fought back home. They came in over a distant hill, filling the air with their cries as they charged towards him and the others. New beasts had joined their ranks, as if pulled from the depths of hell itself

Snorting, he marched towards them, his spines glowing with a fearsome blue light as the power of the atom flowed through his veins, giving him strength. Immense heat pooled deep within his scaled chest, and he fired his atomic breath, blasting straight through the chest of one of the stampeding monsters. It continued forward on sheer momentum, though the blast had killed it instantly, only coming to a stop as it carved a trench in the earth with its body.

The others were closing in on him, more and more coming in over the hill. Taking in a deep breath, he roared a challenging cry of his own, a primal sound that spoke of great battles long since past, of the fury of the earth itself. As if to answer his call, Gamera trudged to his side, howling his own battle cry at the incoming horde. Junior, Anguirus, Varan, Manda, Gorosaurus; the others joined in as well, forming a rough line as they charged together, the most powerful creatures to walk the land.

Roaring once more, the King of the Monsters met the horde head on, the Guardian of the Universe and his family at his back, and swung his fist through the nearest abomination's head.

* * *

 **S**

* * *

 _Above_

I aimed for a thin segment of the barge's hull, close to the bridge of the massive warship. The advanced armor plating gave way like putty as I punched through, atmosphere venting past me before the emergency bulkheads slammed shut. Shinji gently alighted behind me, his heart pumping as he prepared for a fight.

"I have a bad feeling about this," he mumbled to himself.

I wrenched the bulkheads open, letting the bridge vent out. Already I could see armored troops evacuating the room, leaving only Darkseid and the other me. I let Shinji enter first, then stepped forward, letting the bulkheads shut again. Atmosphere was already flooding into the bridge again as we gently floated into sight.

Darkseid and the other me faced us, standing apart. Shinji's heart raced when he saw them, and I couldn't help but feel nervous as well. There was no reading them; they might as well have been statues for all the good it did. It was a good analogy, too; Darkseid looked as though someone had breathed life into the statue of some brutal god, his face cracked and stony as he glared at me with red, lifeless eyes.

"So," he began, his gravelly voice tinged with amusement. "You come to face me in a duel that will decide the fate of the multiverse. How... trite."

"Enough," I said, my voice firm. My fists clenched as I glared at him, waiting to see what he'd do next. I didn't want to blitz right into a trap; he'd have to move first before I could decide on tactics.

"Oh, do I upset you?" Darkseid asked mockingly. "Did I hurt your feelings by killing those you couldn't save, Zara Jor-El? Of all the horrors we've done before you even knew of what was going on? You're always the same, no matter what you look like; someone who believes they can make the world a better place."

"She's a hero!" I heard Shinji shout. "You kill people for no reason!"

"Do you really believe that?" the other me asked, feigning incredulity. "Have not what I said gotten through your skull yet, boy? _None of this is real._ "

It felt like all the warmth went out of the room. I could sense that the realization had hit Shinji like a brick wall, blocking at any other thoughts.

"What are you talking about?" I forced myself to bark, even as I knew the answer.

"We are phantoms, Shinji; words on paper. No, not even that. We're shadows _of_ shadows, mockeries and caricatures of figments of imagination. Everything that's happened, everything you've suffered, happened because it was _dramatic_. Because the readers ate it up and wanted _more._ "

She stepped forward, and I suddenly blasted a line across the floor with my heat vision.

"No closer," I warned.

"Of course you stand up for him," she sneered. "You are his favored daughter, his most cherished work, but even you are just a phantom, and nothing more."

"Let them be for a few moments longer," Darkseid rumbled. "I always enjoy a good talk with my enemies before crushing them, both in spirit and body."

The other me acquiesced, stepping back. A coy smile crossed her alabaster lips as she saw, or rather, felt, Shinji grapple with what was presented to him.

"N-no," he mumbled, the horror dawning on him. "I don't believe you. I _can't_ believe you."

"You know I'm right," the other me purred, satisfied that she had him dead to rights. She leaned forward, and whispered, almost too soft to hear.

" _Somewhere, there is a boy with a typewriter._ "

"That's enough," I growled. "I don't know why I'm even bothering with this crap. This ends _now_."

"Oh, are you going to give me a speech about how you live in a world of cardboard?" Darkseid asked. "Or maybe you'll rant about how I'm wrong about life. My favorite is that utterly banal 'I'm Superwoman; I can do _anything_ '. Tell me, what are you going to use, girl?"

One second, I was standing before him. The next, I caught his chin in a hypersonic uppercut, forcing his head to snap up.

"How about you shut up, and I show you what I mean when I say I can do anything," I said.

His fist caught me in the gut, and I found myself smashing through several layers of armor, finally stopping when I cleaved a tank in half. Recovering my wits, I saw him step through the hole I made through the wall, dropping to the ground. Behind him, Shinji and the other me were grappling in the bridge, energy flaring about their auras.

"I'm going to enjoy this," Darkseid growled, unadulterated fury in his voice as he spoke. "I'm going to break every bone in your body, and make you watch as I kill your wife, and your friends, and everyone else that you will not be able to save."

I got up, dusting myself off, and stepped forward.

"Let's go."

* * *

 **A**

* * *

 _The Ringworld_

"Hang on to something!" the Batman shouted over the din of nearby explosions. "This is going to be a rough landing!"

Jake did as told, digging his tiger-morph's claws into the padded flooring of the shuttle. The other Animorphs followed suit, each of them in heavy battle morphs. Normally, the shuttle's bay could hold twenty, but it was now only taken up by six: a polar bear, an African elephant, a silverback gorilla, a Siberian tiger, a rhinoceros, and an Andalite.

The shuttle hit the ground hard, nearly throwing them about the interior like rag dolls. Jake winced in pain as his head collided with that of Rachel, and he felt Cassie instinctively take hold of his coarse fur with her teeth. He couldn't blame her; when in their morphs, sometimes the instincts and urges of the animal could overpower their minds.

Finally, they came to a jolting halt, and the shuttle bay opened up to reveal the chaotic landscape outside. Already the sky was blackened with smoke and ash, and Jake could hear the din of distant and not-so-distant explosions. Stubby-winged aircraft soared overhead, only to be swept away as Rodan flew by.

"Go! Go! Go!" the Batman barked, already rushing past them.

Jake did as told, his powerful muscles springing into action as he dashed down the landing ramp. The earth underneath his paws was warm and soothing in its familiarity, and he could feel his heartbeat become more steady as he took stock of the situation. Already, more of the shuttles were landing, depositing the rest of the ground team. The nearest one opened up to reveal none other than Bjorn, his Power Claws crackling with electricity as he stomped down to greet them.

"I SAW SOME ARMOR HEADING DOWN THIS WAY. THREE, MAYBE FOUR LAND RAIDERS, AND A LOT OF TRAITOR MARINES."

(Do they have aircraft?) Ax inquired, flicking his tail-blade anxiously.

"HARD FOR THEM TO GAIN AIR SUPERIORITY WHEN RODAN AND MOTHRA ARE SWATTING THEM OUT OF THE SKY LIKE GNATS," Bjorn replied.

Others were coming into view, now. One of Dragon's battlesuits marched forward, decked out with impressive-looking weaponry and a small fleet of drones that moved too smoothly to be controlled by imperfect human hands, and Eren's group was approaching as well. Speaker came from the side, with Toby dozens of her fellow Hork-Bajir following. They wore armor, now, and had been given heavy nanothorn weapons designed for their bulk.

(Where's Avatar or whatever his name was?) Marco asked, shifting about. (And why haven't we seen any big guns yet?)

As if to answer his question, a blue flash of light erupted in the distance, hidden behind a small mountain range. The low rumble of an explosion followed shortly thereafter, nearly sending everyone off their feet.

"Godzilla and the other kaiju are keeping the heavier weapons trained away from us," Dragon replied. "There's a nearby valley that the Marines and their lighter support are moving through in order to flank us. Atvar and his troops went over to stall them, so we better hurry. I'm assigning each of you a drone to guide you to your positions."

"Got it," the Batman said. "Everyone, move out! Keep the unarmored in the center!"

One of Dragon's drones floated over to Jake and the other Animorphs, a steady hum emanating from a single laser in its center. It paused, as if to study them, then suddenly moved in the direction of the valley.

(Let's go,) Jake said.

He took off, rapidly covering ground in massive bounds as he followed closely after the drone. The tiger-morph's natural bloodlust was kicking in, that predatory instinct to hunt, and he felt almost exhilarated as he leapt over a creek, weaving through a grove of trees. The others thundered behind him in their slower morphs, and he could see the rest of the ground team following their own drones, splitting into several large groups. Speaker, Toby, and the Hork-Bajir followed after him as well, their armor making little noise as they moved.

(I have a bad feeling about this,) Marco muttered.

As they came closer, and the valley came into view, Jake could see why.

It was as if a river of solid bodies was flooding down the narrow valley towards them, boxed in on both sides by steep rocky walls. Marines charged forward, waving chainswords and bolters, filling the air with battle cries and oaths to thirsting gods. Many of them looked mutilated, with piercings crudely shoved through their pallid skin, and some had begun to look monstrous, like the stuff of nightmares. Daemons strode with them, standing heads and shoulders over the rest, their axes still hot from the furnaces of the Warp.

Though Jake was not particularly religious, he still couldn't help but feel that the trumpets had sounded, and that the gates to Hell itself had opened for the final battle.

A handful of landcruisers and troopcarriers had taken up positions on either side of the valley, guns already pounding the coming tide of Marines with impressive efficiency. Explosions pocked the valley, kicking up limbs and bodies, but it was like trying to drain an ocean with a dropper.

"Bjorn and I are going to take the center and pound them with everything we've got," the drone said in Dragon's voice. "Batman and Eren's group are going to handle the right wall, as there's bound to be a few that will climb over or try to flank us from the other side of the forest. Use the trees as cover; make them have to get close to you."

(Understood, boss lady,) Marco replied.

(What if armor comes through?) Ax inquired, sounding more than a little nervous. (They may be going for a pincer tactic.)

"The shuttles are wired to my control," Dragon replied. "We can use them to help with heavy armor. And if that doesn't work, we can try to get Godzilla's attention."

Jake turned to where he had seen the burst of blue light. Now that they were closer, he could hear the distant roars of Godzilla and the others, accompanied by animalistic grunts and cries of pain. He hoped they weren't coming from their side.

"Be sharp," Dragon continued. "It appears that a few Marines are already coming your way."

She was right. Faintly, even with the enhanced hearing of his tiger-morph, Jake could hear heavy and uneven footfalls converging on their position. Twitching his nose, he caught the copper scent of blood on the air, and had to repress the predatory urge to simply go after it. Instead, he pressed his belly close to the ground and slinked forward, taking advantage of the thick vegetation to help conceal himself.

(Spread out,) he said to the others. (Rachel, you're going to have to go on the attack first, along with Speaker and the Hork-Bajir. As soon as one pops up, charge them.)

(Got it,) she replied, flexing her trunk. (Can't wait to make these bastards pay.)

The others moved to hide themselves. Marco climbed a tree with alarming deftness, as did several Hork-Bajir. Speaker crouched down behind a large boulder, his variable-sword extending to maximum length. Toby and more of the Hork-Bajir took cover behind the thicker trees, still as statues, while Cassie used the thick shrubbery to conceal themselves. Rachel and Tobias took to a small grove of trees, trying to conceal their massive bulks.

"Here they come," Speaker rumbled.

Sure enough, two dozen or so Marines came into sight, along with a trio of massive daemons. Only a few of them wielded bolters, thankfully, but they still made for an intimidating sight. One of the daemons in particular was titanic, standing easily over fifteen feet in height. It clutched an axe the size of a small tree in its rough hands, the blade covered with blasphemous sigils. It scanned its surroundings with sickly yellow eyes, then barked out a command.

The Chaos forces slowed, checking their surroundings. The ones with bolters took to the flanks, moving with caution as they scouted out for any signs of danger.

(Now!) Jake roared.

"Free or dead!" the Hork-Bajir cried.

At once, Marco and the Hork-Bajir in the trees came crashing down on the Marines, battering and slicing at them with reckless abandon. One of the Marines got off a lucky shot with his bolter, completely pulverizing the head of an unfortunate Hork-Bajir, only to have his entire torso disintegrated by a nanothorn blade.

While the Chaos forces were distracted, Rachel and Tobias charged. Ten tons of muscle and bone bore down on the Marines faster than an Olympic sprinter, tearing up the earth with ponderous footfalls. One of the Marines on the flank turned in time to get bashed forward by Tobias like a rag doll, his bolter clattering out of reach. Rachel was on him before he could get up again, and a stomp to his unprotected head quickly stopped any resistance. The two pressed on, shouldering aside more Marines as they dove into the thick of combat.

With the long-range weapons out of the way, the others sprung into action. Speaker screamed and leaped, swinging his variable sword in a wide arc as he lunged at the nearest Marine. The monomolecular chain, strengthened by the nigh-indestructible stasis field, neatly cut through the Marine's chainaxe like it wasn't even there, and continued its arc with similar ease. There was a small pause, and the Marine's upper body slid to the ground, blood spurting free.

"Finally!" Speaker roared.

Cassie charged forward, catching a Marine in the face with her paw. The Marine stumbled back, blood trickling from a series of gashes on his cheek, then _licked_ at it. Laughing like a madman, he went on the offensive, carving a thin piece of flesh from Cassie's chest.

Jake found himself sprinting before he even realized what was happening. The ground rolled underneath him like a blur, his body naturally streamlined as he dashed towards the Marine with animalistic fury. He covered the last twenty feet in a single bound, claws outstretched as he let out a low snarl.

The Marine only noticed the tiger lunging at him when he felt its teeth in his throat.

* * *

 **==/*\==**

* * *

 _The World Maelstrom_

There was the brief flicker of an AT-field, and the White Woman's eyes flashed brightly enough to leave spots in Shinji's vision. He went flying back, stopping only when he smashed into a nearby bulkhead. The ceramite and adamantine armor dented, but held firm, saving him from getting sucked into the silent vacuum. He rose on shaky legs, smoke rising from a small crater in his armor.

"Ah, the classic underdog fight," the White Woman mused, calmly striding forward. "David and Goliath, Jack versus the Giant. I'm sure everyone will love that."

"Shut up," Shinji hissed. He took off, letting the power of the S2 organ course through him, and delivered a right hook to the White Woman's chin. It felt like his fist was connecting with marble, but he took satisfaction in seeing the goddess's head snap back with the impact. The White Woman stumbled back from the blow, a look of surprise on her face, only to recover her wits and reply with a strike of her own, catching Shinji cleanly in the gut. He flew upwards from the sheer force of the punch, bouncing off the cavernous roof of the bridge and back into the floor.

"You're getting stronger," the White Woman murmured, rolling him over with her bare foot. "Shame it wasn't enough."

That was when a trio of Meteor Missiles connected with her face, sending her smashing through the nearest wall.

"You want to bet?" Shinji wheezed, getting back on his feet. The pain was already fading, a distant memory as his body healed itself. He could feel the heat of the core in his chest as power surged through him; already his armor was starting to shine with that brilliant light it had when he had fought Ghidorah alongside Godzilla and the others.

"Clever." The White Woman strode back into the room, the last of the burns clearing away like the morning dew. She set her jaw with an audible crack and glared at Shinji, her fists clenched, and lunged, streamlining like a bullet as she reached out to grab him.

Shinji was more prepared this time, however. He dodged to the side just in time, and brought his knee into the White Woman's gut with enough force to produce a visible shockwave. The goddess twisted, snarling as she tried to grapple with him, but he was moving faster, now, letting himself channel more and more of the power he had so desperately tried to suppress. A gauntleted fist connected with the White Woman's chin in a vicious uppercut, followed by a Proton beam to the chest that sent her flying through the hole made by Superwoman's fight.

Shinji raced after her, refusing to give her a moment's reprieve. The White Woman got up in time to receive a barrage of Meteor Missiles, obscuring her in smoke before Shinji dismissed the cloud with his AT-field, and a roundhouse kick caught her in the neck with enough force to audibly snap bone. She fell limp, eyes staring at the ceiling while smoke rose from massive craters blasted into her torso.

"I know you're faking," Shinji growled, raising a fist.

Sure enough, the White Woman moved out of the way as Shinji's fist smashed into the floor, then gently floated away with a knowing smirk on her face. She righted herself, manually setting her head back into place with a nauseating crunch, and the wounds on her torso began to rapidly seal up.

"You deny your real self no longer," the White Woman murmured. "You and I are one and the same, gods born of the weak beings that called themselves Man."

"I am nothing like you," Shinji seethed. He rushed forward, only to get smashed down through the floor of the chamber with vicious swipe. A massive hangar greeted him as he fell, and he smashed into a stubby aircraft before rolling onto the hard floor. Serfs and Astartes alike ran in all directions as they saw him, and he struggled to his feet.

The White Woman descended, like an angel from the heavens, her body awash with beautiful light as she gently alighted on the floor of the hangar. She smirked as Shinji turned to face her, and continued.

"We are alike, Shinji. Gods, but at the same time we are nothing. Shadows, _puppets_. We are powerless before the beings that play with our lives, our _souls_ , for cheap amusement. I intend to free us all from that, even if I have to drag them kicking and screaming."

Her heart began to glow a dull red, her skeleton a macabre silhouette as she grew larger, doubling in size within the space of a heartbeat. In a matter of moments, she towered over him, a giant of light.

"It is time you join with me, Shinji Ikari."

* * *

 **Ω**

* * *

 _The Ringworld_

Barachiel stared at the battle unfolding on the plains below him, his fury growing with every moment. The enemy had come indeed, and already were slaughtering his Legion like lambs. The armies of Darkseid fared little better, he could see, and all because of _him._

Even from miles away he could hear the fearsome roar of Godzilla as the beast tore through daemon and kaiju alike, other creatures fighting alongside him. They were the bulk of the attacking forces; there was no denying that, and they had to be stopped before all was destroyed in their wake.

"Status report," he barked into his helmet's vox.

" _...communica-... everywhere *_ scratch* _..."_

Suddenly, a new sound began to overpower the communication lines to his troops, quickly growing in volume. It was music, the Primarch realized, and incredibly antiquated at that.

" _We're no strangers to love_... _You know the rules and so do I..._ "

"What?!" Barachiel howled, chinning his vox hard enough to crack the casing. "Brother-Captains, report!"

 _"A full commitment's what I'm thinking of..._ _You wouldn't get this from any other guy_... _I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling..._ _Gotta make you understand.._ "

"Answer me?!"

"Consider this a present," a female voice said, lined with a faint accent. "Enjoy Rick Astley, courtesy of Dragon."

" _Never gonna give you up..._ _Never gonna let you down..._ "

Barachiel ripped his helmet off and, with little effort, crumpled it in his hand before tossing it away.

"I have to do everything myself," he rumbled, unsheathing his new scimitar.

He closed his eyes, channeling the power of the Empyrean, letting it flow through him and make him stronger. Whispers coaxed the back of his mind, telling him of great and terrible things, and he heeded their words. A gash formed in the air before him, seething with black smoke, and he stepped through. The voices shrieked at him, then died away as he emerged through the other side, smoke rising from his blackened armor and skin.

He was in the heart of the carnage, now. His Legion rushed past him, running straight into the slaughter, and he could see the titanic form of Godzilla over the nearby hills. The beast was distracted with a trio of kaiju, their blue ichor staining his arms as he ripped them apart. They would make for a good distraction while the Primarch moved in for the kill. Gripping his scimitar tightly, he strode forward-

-and suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his knee.

Spinning around, he saw a figure standing above him on the edge of the valley wall. An older man, garbed in red armor that reminded the Primarch of an ancient Rajput warrior, a long and flat sword gripped tightly in his right hand. The man glared down at Barachiel, and the Primarch couldn't help but feel a distinct sense of terror, as though he was about to die. The pain in his knee redoubled, and a spear pulled out of his leg and into the man's outstretched hand.

"You dare strike a Primarch?" Barachiel snarled. He sprung upwards, rapidly scaling the valley wall even with his injury.

The man pulled back, still glaring at the Primarch as he brandished his weapons. Barachiel saw that the sword and spear were far more than they seemed; there was something advanced about them, otherworldly even.

"I dare to strike a fool," the man said, his voice deep and sonorous. "I dare to strike a man who thinks he has a right to rule over others and do as he pleases, a power-hungry mongrel who betrays his deepest values so he can get revenge."

Barachiel howled, clearing the distance between them in the span of a heartbeat. The man was faster, however, his movements graceful as he dodged to the side and brought his sword down on the Primarch's leg. The blade passed through armor, flesh and bone like it was but air, and a furious roar escaped Barachiel as he lost balance. The Primarch stumbled, feeling as his leg repaired the damage with the very stuff of the Warp, then spun about to catch the man with his scimitar.

" _Blood for the blood god!_ " he howled.

The man ducked beneath the swing, and repaid the favor with a jab to the side with his spear. The head proved to be as sharp as its fellow blade, and Barachiel could distinctly note a faint vibration as it pierced through his ribs. What seemed like a quick fight was proving longer than he'd anticipated, and he still needed to conserve in order to slay the beast.

"You fight for pretenders," the man said in a low voice, twisting the spear before pulling it out. "Abominations that believe themselves higher than the men that birthed them. They represent all that is the illusion of the world, and you believe them to be your ally, when you are nothing more than a mere pawn."

"Insect!" Barachiel roared.

"Yama will suffice," the man replied, twirling his sword, "but a better title would be my old one: Death."

* * *

 **Ω**

* * *

 _The Blade Ship_

"We've lost more fighters to the _gafrash_ ships the enemy has, my Emperor," a Hork-Bajir Controller reported. "We are sending out reserves as we speak."

(Have them fly directly at the two warships,) the Yeerk Emperor replied, swishing his tail-blade impatiently as he watched the battle unfold on the viewscreen before him. (It will waste their ammo on the less important targets.)

"But, my Emperor-"

Without warning, the Controller fell to the ground, bereft of a head. The Emperor flicked the black blood off his tail-blade, then turned to the startled Controllers manning the bridge.

(You there,) he said. (Taxxon Controller. Give the order to launch the fighters.)

"Y-yes m-my Emperor," the Controller replied hurriedly, his countless legs twitching over the controls.

(What is the status on the ground?)

"T-the enemy-"

(Stop stuttering, or it'll be your tongue on the floor next.)

The Taxxon Controller paused, trying to stop its shaking. "The enemy is making headway against the forces on the ground, my Emperor. They have fortified themselves in a valley, where they are bottlenecking the Marines and armor columns. The giant flying monsters are crippling air forces at the moment, my Emperor."

(Land the Blade Ship, then,) the Yeerk Emperor said, his voice showing no sign of emotion. (We are getting chewed up in orbit, anyway.)

"My Emperor, what of the battle barge?"

(What about it?)

The Taxxon raised its five-eyed head, as if to object, then went back to manning the controls.

"My Emperor, where shall we land?" a Human Controller inquired.

(Near the valley,) came the swift reply. (Where the fighting is.)

"Yes, my Emperor."

The Yeerk Emperor folded his weak arms across his chest as he watched the Ringworld rapidly approach. Soon, he would be in the heat of battle once more, the blood of his enemies warm on his face as he took their lives.

This time, the Animorphs would not escape him.

* * *

 _ **You have been reading:**_

 _ **CRISIS, Chapter Eight: Götterdämmerung, Part One**_


	10. Chapter Nine: Götterdämmerung, Part II

**S**

* * *

 _Aboard the World Maelstrom_

Darkseid was like a blur as he lunged at me, hateful eyes burning like red-hot coals. A massive fist caught me in the chin, and I flew back, punching through a dozen layers of bulkhead like they weren't even there. I hit the ground rolling, only stopping when I collided with some big power-plant within the heart of the ship, far from where the fight had started.

Something that big shouldn't be able to move that fast.

He was already bearing down on me again as I rose to my feet, but I was ready this time. As he lashed out at me again, I ducked beneath his swing and caught him in the gut with my foot, producing a visible shockwave with the sheer force behind the blow. There was a loud _w_ _umph_ as the wind was knocked out of Darkseid's lungs, and he stumbled back, his face contorted with rage.

"You continue to resist," he snarled. "It was foolish of you to come here."

"It was dumb of you to start this whole thing," I spat back in reply.

He grinned at that. "You will learn your mistake soon enough, woman of steel."

Darkseid went to attack again, but I was faster. I shot forward like a bullet, catching him in the chest and shoving him back through the holes I'd made in the ship. Once I'd built up enough speed, I suddenly stopped, letting him carry forward on his own momentum, then blasted him with my heat vision. He smashed through a thick wall, then rolled forward, steam rising from where I had singed his armor.

Suddenly, he rose to his feet with inhuman speed, red flames around his eyes. Before I could react, a pair of beams shot out, bending at unnatural angles like a twisted version of Legend's power. They struck home, hitting me in the chest, and I felt an agony like never before. It was though my very soul was set on fire, and I opened my mouth in a silent scream as I fell to my knees. Smoke rose from my chest, and I could faintly smell charred skin beneath my uniform.

He was in front of me again, grinning as he grabbed me by the hair so I could be at eye level with him.

"Impressive," he rumbled, the flames retreating back into his eyes. "Even your contemporary could barely withstand a full-power blast of my Omega Beams."

"T-that all you got?" I managed to rasp.

The grin disappeared. He shifted his grip, wrapping his hand around my throat, and brought me close.

"I am many things, Zara Jor-El, more than you could ever hope to imagine. I now take the role of executioner."

Time slowed for me as I let myself think and move faster, too fast for the human mind to comprehend. Darkseid's eyes began to slowly brighten again, something just _wrong_ about how the light interacted with everything around it. Those beams were powerful, even more than anything Scion dished out on me. They were _efficient_ , focusing every ounce of power into hurting me instead of wasting it on the air and nearby objects.

I had to beat him to the punch.

Heat welled up behind my eyes, and I let it loose, channeling it into concentrated beams. My heat vision caught him in the left eye, boiling away the unnatural flesh within his socket, and time returned to normal as he let go of me and stumbled back, howling in rage.

Now was my chance. I went on the offensive, catching him in the chin with a double-fisted uppercut, sending him flying upwards. He smashed through countless decks, then the hull of the ship itself as he flew out into space. Air began to rush out, and I flew up, exiting the ship before more bulkheads could slam shut.

Darkseid flailed about in the empty void, the Ringworld almost threatening to swallow him with its sheer vastness. It was a simple matter to grab him, and a much harder matter to keep him from breaking free. There was a broad swath of bare foundation relatively nearby, and I pushed him down towards it, rapidly gaining in speed. We hit the atmosphere, plasma forming around us as we continued to go faster, then finally smashed into the uninhabited foundation of the Ringworld at a considerable fraction of the speed of light.

The resulting explosion managed to dig a small crater in the foundation, which in turn ignited the atmosphere for miles around. It took a good portion of my strength to not be blown away by the blast, and I could see as the atoms making up the air were reduced to their elementary particles. Thankfully, I knew that there was no one around to get hurt, save for Darkseid; The Ringworld was so vast that we wipe out the land area of an entire planet, and yet avoid a single casualty.

I needed it that way, if I was to go full out.

Darkseid rose to his feet, shaking off steaming flakes of foundation material as he turned to glare at me. Black blood trickled down from his ruined eye, and I could see deep burns on his skin, where the armor didn't protect him.

"That," he snarled, taking a moment to spit out a glob of blood, " _hurt_."

It was a sentiment I could share. It'd been years since I felt pain like that, fighting the Endbringers and Scion. But this was a different fight altogether; that much I could tell. Scion was powerful, but he relied on versatility and raw energy to fight; he still had the same limits as any flesh and blood creature, though on scales much bigger than anything else. Darkseid, on the other hand, had no shards, or a massive body to draw energy from. Just unnatural toughness, speed, and those damned beams of his.

I could fully understand by what Marco and Jake said when they called him the literal god of evil.

Wiping a trickle of pink blood from my lip, I straightened and glared at Darkseid. He did the same, his remaining eye glowing with that unholy light.

"Giving up yet?" I asked.

A throaty laugh. "You should know how this goes, daughter of Krypton. We've had this last dance so many times, on so many of those pitiful blue planets. I've seen you as a man, a woman; you've come to me bearing every race, every creed and every flag, and yet there's always the same about you, that inexplicable definition that makes you what I hate the most in all of creation."

"I take that as a no, then."

Darkseid cracked his knuckles. "Look around you, Kryptonian. Do you really think I'd let those bumbling fools decide the fate of this battle? My parademons have gone unnoticed while your friends distract themselves with the foolish Primarch and the others, feeding me as they subjugate billions on this ring. I can feel myself growing stronger with every passing moment, while you grow weaker."

As soon as he said that, I suddenly realized what he meant by that. I was so caught up in the fight, I didn't notice the shadow square falling over us, swallowing us in darkness.

"This is the last of the last dances, Zara Jor-El," Darkseid said, "and it will end with you as a greasy smear on my fist."

I shot forward, but he was prepared that time. A backhand caught me in the face, and I went flying back for miles, skidding over the bare Ringworld foundation. He leapt after me, landing a short distance away.

"I am the true end of all things," he growled. "I seek the death of the soul, and it will culminate here, with the destruction of hope itself."

I caught him across the chest with my heat vision, carving a narrow grove in his armor and skin. While he reeled back from that, I caught him in the throat with a relativistic punch, followed by a kick to the gut. Light bloomed out from the epicenters of the impacts, like the births of tiny suns, but he seemed to barely acknowledge them as he remained grounded by whatever unholy force gave him strength.

"What do you think you're going to do after this?!" I hissed, feeling myself tremble with rage. "I know what the other me was talking about. Do you really think you're going to somehow find your creator or something? Change your story so you win? That's not how it works; they only _see_ us, just like how I can see them. We can't go there."

"I know that," he replied.

That was enough to give me a momentary pause, one he took advantage of. He brought down both fists on my shoulders, planting me into the foundation of the Ringworld, then pulled me out by my hair. I tried to hit him with my heat vision again, only for him to clamp his hand over my eyes.

"The others believe that there's some core reality that they can conquer or subjugate, but I plan far worse. They see us, yes, and we in turn shape their minds. We give them fears, or hopes; dreams or nightmares. I will make that power _mine,_ Zara Jor-El. I will take their hopes and dreams, and _crush_ them. I will take their love and their aspirations, and replace it with hate and despair.

His grip tightened, squeezing my skull hard enough to _hurt_.

"That will be my true victory, daughter of Krypton. Once I make all other worlds mine, their hearts will belong to me."

Suddenly, he shouted in pain as I brought my teeth down on his hand. Vile, bitter blood filled my mouth, and I had to repress the urge to gag as I pulled free of his grip. He moved to grab me again, but I skirted around him, moving faster and faster. I sped up to my fullest extent, watching as his movements grew sluggish, like he was fighting underwater. I hit him in the back with both feet, sending him sprawling with enough force to shatter some of his ribs.

"You'll have to get through me first," I said.

"You still try to fight," he growled, a hand on his chest as he turned to face me again.

"I'm Superwoman. I can do anything."

Darkseid's face contorted with fury. "So be it."

We lunged at the same time.

* * *

 **B**

* * *

 _The Ringworld_

Bjorn scythed his gatling bolter across the incoming horde of Traitor Marines and daemons, blood and body parts flying with each shell's detonation. Dragon fought alongside him, her main battle suit peppering the Chaos forces with a flurry of missiles, lasers, and heavy artillery shells, while her drones harassed them from the sky in droves. Further behind them, protected from the worst of the fighting, the remnants of the Race's forces continued to fire with their landcruisers, efficiently chipping away at the veritable swarm pouring in through the valley walls.

"HOW'S EVERYONE DOING?" Bjorn roared over the chaotic din of combat.

"The Animorphs and free Hork-Bajir are holding the left flank with moderate casualties," Dragon replied, perfectly multi-tasking as she continued to tear through the Marines. "Eren's group and Batman are holding up fine where they are; they have good terrain to work from. I saw Godzilla and Gamera over the next group of mountains; they seem to be doing very well."

The Land Raiders finally made themselves known, casually crushing anyone too slow to move out of the way as they advanced. Overall, they bore an uncanny resemblance to tanks used in the First World War, albeit on a much bigger scale. The Race troops in the back began to focus their landcruiser fire on them, but the shells appeared to be doing little damage.

"I've got this," Dragon said.

Her battle suit lumbered forward, automated defenses still ripping into the nearby Traitor Marines. A pair of clunky-looking missiles deployed from the pods on the suit's shoulders, followed by another, and Bjorn realized they seemed to just be bars of metal. The missiles flew straight towards the Land Raiders, then suddenly became cloudy-looking right before impact. They tore right through the massive tanks, billows of dust pouring from where they made contact, and shot through the other side, only stopping after going through dozens of Marines.

"THAT... WAS STRANGELY AROUSING. HOW IN THE EMPEROR'S NAME DID YOU DO THAT?"

"Nanothorns," Dragon replied. "Works on a principal similar to your Power Claws, but even more efficiently."

"YOUR BOYFRIEND IS A LUCKY MAN," Bjorn exclaimed.

"He invented them, actually."

"YOUR BOYFRIEND IS A LUCKY MAN."

Suddenly, a strange sound drew the Dreadnaught's attention to a nearby hill. A massive figure stood upon it, dueling with a much smaller one; the pair moved quickly through the trees, soon going out of sight. He turned back to the fighting, his Promethium flamethrower broiling nearby Marines, then activated his vox.

"THE TRAITOR PRIMARCH IS THERE. THIS HAS TO END WITH HIM; THE SPIRITS OF THE MARINES WILL BREAK ONCE THEY SEE HIM DEAD."

"There's the problem of you actually getting there," Dragon retorted.

Bjorn chuckled. "THERE'S STILL FIGHT IN THIS OLD DREADNAUGHT'S HEART. COVER ME AND FALL BACK; YOU CAN LAY OUT BOOBY TRAPS IF YOU MUST."

"Alright, fine," Dragon conceded.

Her suit reared back and moved to the side, drawing the attention of the incoming Marines away from Bjorn. With the momentary distraction in play, he trudged forward, moving with a speed that belied his titanic bulk. A large daemon moved in to stop him, only to have its head taken off by his Power Claws. It fell back, crushing a Marine underneath, and Bjorn simply stepped over it, bones crunching beneath his feet.

The oldest warrior in the Imperium began to speed up, his upgraded body pushing itself to its limits. He moved like a battering ram, tossing aside any Traitor Marine that got in the way, if they weren't simply trampled underfoot. Occasionally one would try to stop him, only to get a bolt shell to the face.

"THE EMPEROR IS MY SHIELD," he found himself saying. A Marine ran at him with a chainsword, screaming, only to get bisected by his Power Claws.

"THE EMPEROR GUIDES MY SWORD."

A daemon fell, a hole blasted through its chest by a bolt shell.

"I SERVE RUSS, FOR HE SERVES THE ALLFATHER AND THE IMPERIAL TRUTH THAT IS THE LIGHT FOR ALL MANKIND."

His flamethrower blasted to life, incinerating a group of Marines that were trying to block his way.

"AS LONG AS I DO NOT SWAY FROM THE PATH OF TRUTH, I SHALL NOT FAIL TO SERVE MANKIND."

With one last push, he was through. His hydraulics hissed like a titanic serpent, and he leapt onto the valley wall, clearing a height that no mere mortal could.

The easy part was over. Now he had to fight a Traitor Primarch.

* * *

 **Ω**

* * *

 _The Ringworld_

Barachiel charged, a massive blade held high over his head as he howled unintelligibly, blood and pus oozing from countless gashes and cuts on his pallid flesh. With a mighty heave he brought it down, only for Yama to leap to the side and take to higher ground on a nearby boulder. The sword instead sank deep in the soft earth, becoming firmly stuck. While the Primarch pulled his scimitar out of the soft earth, the deathgod took the opportunity to thrust his spear forward and catch Barachiel in the eye, narrowly stopping short of the brain.

"Blood!" the Primarch gnashed, clamping a hand over his ruined eye as the spearhead pulled clean out. "Blood for the blood god!"

"It will be your blood they take, abomination," Yama replied calmly.

The shaft of the spear shortened, using processes that escaped even the Primarch's knowledge, and the deathgod backed up, holding it firmly. The spearhead opened up, almost like a delicate flower of steel and bronze, and revealed what appeared to be a glittering lens. Before Barachiel could react in time, the tip of the spear flared with incredible brightness, and a violet beam caught him in the shoulder, burning away his armor like it was scarcely there. A howl of pain escaped the Primarch as the beam punched all the way through to the other side, and he stumbled back.

"That was based on an old design of mind," Yama said, the spear folding back to its original state. "The firewand of Agni, which scoured the faces of my world's three moons. It still needs work if you weren't completely vaporized."

"A toy like that cannot kill me!" Barachiel snarled, clearing thirty feet in a single bound as he lunged at Yama's minuscule figure. "I am of the Eight-Fold Way!"

The deathgod seemed so small to him now, so _weak_ , yet it was proving to be a nuisance. Already he could feel more and power flow through him, his skin becoming rougher and his muscles strengthening underneath. A long tongue snaked its way out between needly teeth as he tasted the air, and he moved to crush the red-armored figure before him.

Yama backpedaled away, the spear lengthening in his hand, and he swung it in a wide arc, aiming for the Primarch's knee. Barachiel was prepared this time, however, and managed to catch the blade in his hand, paying no heed to the gore pouring down from his ruined palm as he channeled the power of the Warp and crushed the spear into countless pieces.

"Fool," the Primarch growled, a phlegmy chuckle escaping him.

To his surprise, Yama actually _smirked_. "Not quite. And there's only one Eight-Fold Way, by the by."

Just as Barachiel moved to destroy the aggravating insect once and for all, he felt pain erupt across his back. Countless pieces of hot shrapnel cut deep, tearing his skin to tatters, and he could feel parts of his armor getting blasted away. A furious bellow escaping his throat, he turned just in time to receive a salvo of bolt shells to his face. He stumbled back, hands clamped over his face while the wounds healed

"TRAITOROUS COCKSUCKER!"

Barachiel removed his hands, pus weeping from his red eyes, and glared at his new attacker. A Venerable Dreadnaught stood before him, wielding a massive pair of Power Claws. Based on the decorations embossed into its armor, it was of Russ's chapter.

"A follower of the Corpse-Emperor," the Primarch snarled.

"A PROTECTOR OF MAN," came the booming reply. "I SERVE EVERY MAN, WOMAN, AND CHILD WHO STRIVES FOR A BETTER FUTURE, FREE OF DISEASE AND STRIFE. I SERVE THAT WHICH YOU HAVE BETRAYED, PRIMARCH."

"I thought you would have forgotten all about me," Barachiel sneered. "Your rotten Imperium has a habit of losing information."

"I AM OF THE FIRST, THE GREAT CRUSADE," the Dreadnaught replied. "BJORN, OF THE VLKA FENRYKA."

It swiveled its massive gatling bolter in the Primarch's direction.

"NOW REPENT, MOTHERFUCKER."

Barachiel's reply was a roar of fury. He charged forward, paying no heed as the bolt shells tore away at his chest, blasting away what remained of his armor. He no longer needed it; he could feel as the gods blessed him with more and more power, his flesh becoming that of the Warp. Raising a hand that was more daemon than man, he swatted at the Dreadnaught, sending it flying into a nearby boulder. It was quick to get on its feet, however, and Barachiel cried out as molten Promethium bathed his face.

"YOU HAVE BETRAYED ALL THAT YOU STOOD FOR!" Bjorn bellowed. "YOU WERE TO LEAD MANKIND TO A BETTER FUTURE, AND INSTEAD YOU DOOMED THEM TO MILLENNIA OF SUFFERING!"

The Dreadnaught dashed forward, too fast for something that looked so cumbersome, and sank its Power Claws into the Primarch's knee, nearly severing it at the joint. Barachiel fell, his leg unable to support his massive frame, and he felt something heavy crush his hand. Turning, he saw that Bjorn stood on it, gatling bolter aimed at his face.

"YOUR BLOOD WILL NOT BALANCE THE SCALES, BUT IT'S A FUCKING START."

Enough was enough. Barachiel flung the Dreadnaught off and rose to his feet, growing bigger and bigger as he let the power of the Empyrean give him strength. An obsidian horn began to protrude from his forehead, and he could feel a pair of leathery wings sprout from his mangled back. Glaring down at Bjorn, the Dreadnaught seemed like a child's toy, so small.

"Die for your Emperor, fool," the Primarch gurgled.

He swung his sword, and caught Bjorn in the side. The Dreadnaught hurtled through the air, smashing a tree into splinters, and finally came to a rest nearly twenty meters away. Its gatling bolter was torn from its chassis, twisted and broken, and coolant leaked from its shattered sarcophagus. Yet life still flowed through it, even as the support systems keeping it alive began to falter and fail. It rose to its feet, barely able to move, and raised its remaining arm high.

"IS THaT ALL YoU FUCKING GOT?! THE REBeLLIOUS SON OF THE eMPEROR CAN'T HANDLE A RUSTy OLD DrEaDNAUGHT?! COME oN, YA PUSSY!"

Barachiel stomped forward, growing ever more massive, knocking aside trees as he advanced on Bjorn's broken form. He loomed over the fallen Wolf, his jaw contorted into a toothy grin as he raised his foot high.

Before he could crush the Dreadnaught into scrap, however, he suddenly became aware of a shadow falling over him, like the Sword of Damocles itself. A clawed hand took hold of his shoulder, cutting deep into his Warp-flesh, and hoisted him into the air like a petulant kitten. Hot breath washed over his neck, and he could hear a loud growl escaping the beast holding him.

" _You,_ " Barachiel snarled.

As if to confirm his suspicion, a fearsome roar escaped the beast holding, drawing blood from his ears, and he found himself being chucked cleanly over the hill. He hit the ground hard, digging a massive furrow, and managed to roll onto his back to see his attacker.

Godzilla rose to the top of the hill, a mighty king standing above all as he glared down at the Primarch, the blood of his enemies stained deep into his charcoal grey scales like warpaint earned on the battlefield. The ground rumbled, and Gamera came to his side, similarly painted with the blood of monster and daemon alike, a brother forged in war. King and Guardian raised their heads high and roared together, a battle cry that cowed all into silence.

Barachiel rose to his feet, now matching them in height. He hefted his scimitar in his hands, feeding it with the eldritch power of the Warp, and grinned.

"Finally."

* * *

 **Y**

* * *

It didn't take Yama long to find him; one needed only to follow the path of destruction through the forest. Climbing over the last fallen tree in the way, he found the old Dreadnaught propped up against a nearby boulder, contemplating the broken arm at his feet. Bjorn turned to face him, coolant leaking from his damaged sarcophagus.

"You're hurt," Yama muttered, kneeling down to inspect the damage. Through the shattered ceramite, he could make out the ruined body of the Marine underneath.

"NO SHiT. BY THE EMPeROR, I HaVen't FeLT THIS BaD SiNCE RuSS LEFT ME BEHiND."

"We need to get you the healer. Panacea is well-guarded, we can safely get to her and-"

"NO." Sparks crackled around the Dreadnaught as he spoke. "IT iS TOO LaTE FOR THAT. Do YOu THiNK YOU CaN CARRY SOMETHiNG aS HuGE AS ME?"

A sigh. "No. But I can't just leave you here to die, not when there's still a chance to save you."

"SaVE ME? I HaVE BEEN DeAD FOR TeN THOUSAND YeARS. BuT I WiLL WAIT YET, O DEATH. FOR THE WoLFTIME."

"If I can't save you here, now, then I can delay this, long enough to do at least something elsewhere."

"HeH. YoU'RE DOING A BiG FAVOR FOR A GUY WHO WaNTED To SMaSH YOUR ASS NoT TOO LoNG AGo."

Yama shrugged. "I know a good man when I see one."

He produced a small device, no bigger than an orange, and held it up to the Dreadnaught to see.

"THE FuCK IS ThaT?"

"It will stop the flow of time for you. I managed to consult on it with the Batman, as well as the kzin. Perhaps, once the battle is over, we can repair you."

Bjorn let out a long, tired sigh that carried the weight of his years. Then he shifted slightly, as to look at the sun.

"Even in death, I still serve..."

Yama attached the device to Bjorn's shin, and the Dreadnaught fell silent.

"Farewell, my friend," Yama said softly.

* * *

 **Ω**

* * *

 _The World Maelstrom_

Two gods dueled.

It was a study in contrasts, on a number of levels. One was the embodiment of elegance; thin, with delicate features, and as naked as the day of her creation. She moved gracefully, like a ballet dancer, the light of her soul glittering as she moved with strike after calculated strike. Her heart seemed to glow with a warm red light, occasionally flaring in brilliance as fire darted from her eyes.

The other was a fighter, practical in appearance and movement. Glowing white armor covered his alabaster features, and he struck like a boxer, eschewing form over function as he pummeled away at his opponent with well-aimed punches. Yet he was losing ground before the goddess before him, his wounds taking time to seal up after each blow.

She was winning.

The White Woman's eyes shined like twin stars, and Shinji found himself smashing into the far wall of the hangar, ceramite and adamantium crumbling around his colossal form. He staggered forward, clipping her chin with a gauntleted fist, only for her to flip him over her shoulder with a resounding crash.

"Your courage is admirable," the White Woman crooned, clamping a hand over Shinji's throat, "but it is futile. Win or lose, it will not matter at all. Your victory, or your death, will be nothing more than entertainment for _them_."

"Then why?" he croaked.

The White Woman paused, her grip still firm on his throat. "Why what?"

"Why are you trying to save everyone? If we're just fictional, nonexistent characters on a page, then why are you trying to save them? Why take them into you?"

The goddess's eyes narrowed into red slits. "I'm done talking."

There was a flicker of light, and Shinji was across the hangar, free from her grip. He raised his arms, ready to fight, but did nothing else.

"You say that every time you and I meet, I've rejected Instrumentality. Have you considered why?"

"I don't care," the White Woman hissed. "Stop trying to talk me out of this, _boy_."

"Taylor-"

"NO!" She moved forward, too fast for the human eye to see, and took Shinji by the throat again, smashing his back into the hangar wall. "You of all people do not get to call me that! You learned it from the pretender!"

"If all the me's have something in common, then it must be the case for you," Shinji wheezed, prying the goddess's hand off of his throat. "I can see it, now. You two both don't want to see people get hurt, just like me."

"That's why I'm doing this," the White Woman snarled in reply. "I'm going to free everyone from their suffering, their manipulations at the hands of the puppeteers."

"Even if it doesn't matter?"

Silence.

"I've been down your route, back when things were at their worst," Shinji pressed on, still wary, ready to move at a moment's notice. "I thought the same thing, even if it was only for a moment. Why wouldn't I free people from their pain and suffering? But that's the thing: you're not alive if there's nothing to compare your happiness to."

He took a deep breath, then continued. "You seem to know me. You know the horrible things I went through. And I can imagine it wasn't sunshine and rainbows for you, either. But Instrumentality is just escapism; you're giving up on ever making something of yourself by doing it."

The White Woman's jaw set, and her glare hardened. "Enough of this."

She reached out, to rip his core out and take it into herself, but her hand began to shake, as if resisting her every move. She willed herself to neutralize his AT-field and disincorporate him, but it was as though the light of her very soul had betrayed her.

"Taylor, please," Shinji said, his voice soft.

The White Woman closed her eyes, and when they opened, sky-blue irises focused on Shinji.

"I can hear them," she whimpered. "Adam. Lilith. Pulling my mind apart, pushing it where they want it to go. I just... I just wanted to never see anyone hurt... I can't keep this up any longer."

She stood up straight, and dug her hand into her chest. Her core pulled free like a seed from a ripe fruit, and she held it up to Shinji, her hand shaking all the way.

"Take it... while I'm still me... m-make things right."

There was a moment's pause, and Shinji took the core from her hands. The White Woman's body trembled, then melted away into LCL, leaving nothing behind. The real her was in the core, and Shinji pressed it against his own. It folded in upon itself, becoming impossibly small, and disappeared inside his chest.

It was over. Shinji could feel the power of countless cores, countless _hims_ , coursing through his body, and his resolve hardened. He had to help the others, before it was too late. With a flare of light, the barge peeled away in all directions, glowing white-hot as its hull melted away, and he floated up into the void, the crippled ship drifting away from him.

It was time to find Darkseid, and end the fight, once and for all.

* * *

 **==/*\==**

* * *

 _The Ringworld_

Barachiel charged, tearing up the ground beneath his cloven feet as he rushed into battle. Flames darted from his gaping maw, and a gurgling roar escaped his throat as he swung his scimitar in a wide arc, catching Godzilla across the chest. The nuclear leviathan stumbled back, steam rising from his already-healing wound, then stepped forward and swiped the Primarch across the chin, digging massive gashes into the abomination's face. Barachiel staggered from the blow, but held his ground, and prepared to swing again.

That was when a fireball smashed into his chest, blasting away armor and flesh to reveal glistening ribs and quivering organs. Howling in agony, the Primarch turned in time to see Gamera approach, moving with a speed that belied his ungainly appearance. A bony blade protruded from the terrapin's wrist, and he jabbed forward with it, piercing deep into Barachiel's shoulder.

"Blood," the Primarch gurgled. "Blood for the blood god."

He moved forward, letting the blade stab deeper into him, and grabbed Gamera by the throat. His clawed fingers cut deep into the terrapins's scaly flesh, drawing emerald blood, and he tightened his grip, trying to squeeze the life out of his foe. Gamera replied by prying the hand off with his own, a deep orange glow emanating from his throat. Before Barachiel could move back, the Guardian fired, blasting away the Primarch's lower jaw.

Barachiel let out a pathetic gurgle, then stumbled away, trying to recover from the attack. Pain clouded his mind, but he used it, letting the power of the Warp channel itself through him. The wound began to regenerate, and he found himself growing even larger, more wings sprouting out of his back. Raising his sword again, he moved to lunge at the terrapin-

-and was instead smashed to the side by Godzilla. The King of the Monsters roared, the air seeming to quiver before his fury, and planted a massive foot on the Primarch's chest, cracking ribs in the process. His spines glowed with the fearsome blue light of Cherenkov radiation, and nuclear plasma blasted from his maw, completely obliterating Barachiel's shoulder. Blood and pus sprayed into the air, and the Primarch could smell cooked meat in the air.

Barachiel snarled, and heaved Godzilla's foot off of his chest. The King of the Monsters stumbled back, and the Primarch took the opportunity to get to his feet and swing his scimitar again. The blade bit deep into Godzilla's shoulder, and he channeled the power of the Warp through it, trying to cook the beast alive.

It was a short offensive. Godzilla took the blade of the sword into his clawed hands, ignoring the pain as his palms were shredded, and _twisted_ , shattering the weapon into countless pieces. Roaring again, he charged, catching Barachiel in a vicious tackle. He tore away at the Primarch, filling the air with the sounds of cracking bone as he pummeled and clawed the abomination's chest into a pulp.

"No!" Barachiel howled. "Die! Die!"

Even as his body was torn to shreds, the Primarch reached out with his clawed hands, catching Godzilla in the eye. The beast let up on his assault, and Barachiel took the opportunity to pull away, his body already repairing the damage. He was growing even bigger, his muscles and bone expanding, and he used his newfound strength to swat Godzilla aside. The nuclear leviathan went skidding back, tearing a path through the forest as he rolled to a stop, and swiftly rose to his feet, growling.

Barachiel stomped forward, a new sword manifesting in his hands, only to see Godzilla's spines glow again. Nuclear fire blasted into his chest, stopping only when it passed through the other side, and he stumbled back, feeling blood fill his lungs.

No. He was not going to lose again to this _reptile_.

He charged forward again, slower this time, only to see Gamera step in his path. They collided, rolling and grappling with each other, and smashed into the side of a small mountain. Gamera was on his feet first, gutting the Primarch from groin to chest with a wrist blade. Hot steaming intestines spilled out, only for more muscle and bone to grow over the wound, armor plates growing into place. Barachiel rose to his feet, and Gamera fired another fireball, catching him in the face.

Two could play at that game.

"Die," the Primarch snarled, leveling his sword at the terrapin's chest.

Warpfire shot out, enveloping Gamera in a cone of white-hot flame. Barachiel pressed on with the attack, channeling as much power as he could, gleefully imagining how the reptile's flesh must be stripping from the bone, only to realize that no sound was coming from the terrapin at all. No cries of pain or rage, nothing.

The flames began to swirl around Gamera's obscured form, as if being drawn away, and he stepped forward. The Warpfire coalesced about his hand, sheathing it like a glove.

Barachiel stepped back, the last of the Warpfire escaping his sword. _That's not fair._

With an elephantine wail, the Guardian of the Universe lunged forward and plunged his hand into the Primarch's chest.

There was a brief moment of searing agony, then Barachiel felt as the flames exploded outwards, obliterating everything in their path, whether it be flesh or bone or armor. He could feel his guts broil inside, his lungs fill with flame, and...

Nothing.

The Primarch's upper body hit the ground, his legs still standing. Greasy black smoke rose from his charred entrails, and he let out a pathetic growl as he tried to right himself, willing for the wounds to heal. He _would_ win. He would kill the beast before him, and he would _destroy_ Godzilla and offer his skull to Khorne, and he would sweep aside all in his path...

A shadow fell over Barachiel, and he looked up to see Godzilla glaring down at him, fiery orange eyes burning like hot coals. The Primarch felt as the beast's clawed hands grabbed his jaws, prying them wide open, and it was too late when he realized what was happening, as he saw the King of the Monster's spines glow once more.

Nuclear plasma blasted down Barachiel's maw, scorching and blasting away what remained of his insides. He could feel as his bones _melted_ before the heat, and the sensation of his flesh carbonizing was all too real.

The last thing he saw, before death greeted him and he was pulled into the Warp, was a pair of fiery orange eyes glaring into his own.

* * *

 _ **You have been reading:**_

 _ **CRISIS, Chapter Nine: Götterdämmerung, Part Two**_


	11. Chapter Ten: Götterdämmerung, Part III

**S**

* * *

I was losing.

As the fight went on in the shade of the shadow square, I could feel myself growing weaker, while he only became even stronger, his blows more punishing. He was clumsy as he fought, and still slower, but I could feel my hits become weaker and weaker with each passing moment. We were both battered and bloodied, but I couldn't help but feel he was just doing that for show, that the wounds meant _nothing_ to him.

It finally came to a crux when he fired his Omega Beams again, striking me dead on, and I sprawled to the ground on my back. I struggled to rise, but his boot came crashing down on my face, keeping me pinned.

"This is where you belong, Kryptonian," Darkseid growled, pressing his foot down even harder, the Ringworld foundation cracking against my skull. "Under my heel."

My eyes flooded with warmth, and I let loose with my heat vision, putting all that I had left into one final blast. I could carve lines in continents with it when I went full out; it was time to see how they'd do against him. Sure enough, Darkseid cried out as the twin beams of scarlet light punched through his foot, and I took the opportunity to shove him off. He staggered away, steam rising from two new holes in his foot, and I went in for a ultrasonic tackle.

Before I could do anything else, his hand took me by the throat, threatening to crush bone with the sheer force behind his grip.

"You give a fight like no other, Superwoman," he snarled.

He took my legs into his other hands, and hoisted me over his head, like a champion holding his trophy for the crowd to see. I tried to struggle, but I was too tired, too _weak_.

"But you are just a woman. And I? I am a _god._ "

He brought me down on his knee with relativistic speed, and I could hear something crack in my body. As he dropped my limp body to the ground, my legs refusing to move, I numbly realized it was my spine. Even Scion hadn't been able to do that, and I was just a teenager when we had fought.

Darkseid loomed over me, a triumphant grin on his stony face as he stared down at my broken form, and a low chuckle escaped him.

"Time to die, woman of steel."

I managed to prop myself up on my arms, gaze focused on him, and spat in his face. The glob, tinged pink with blood, hit him right in the eye.

His grin disappeared, and his eyes began to glow with that _wrong_ light, signaling that death was coming for me on swift wings.

"Fail, knowing that your wife shall die first."

What happened next seemed almost surreal; the pain clouding my mind didn't help with that. A beam of white light smashed into Darkseid's chest, bright enough to leave a streak in my dimming vision, and he went flying back, skidding across the ground like a stone. He rose to his feet, teeth bared, only to receive another blast, this time targeting his eyes. A sharp bark of pain escaped him, and he clamped his hands over his steaming face.

My rescuer descended from the sky, wreathed in that same white light. He touched down gently at my side, and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"This seems oddly familiar," Shinji muttered.

"What... are..." I croaked out, only for the boy to put a finger to his lips. Behind him, Darkseid still staggered, eyes healing.

"I have a trick up my sleeve," Shinji whispered. "You don't think Jake and Marco are the only kids who read comics, do you?"

He rose to his feet, brushing some dust off his knees, and aimed an outstretched palm at my chest. Before I could ask what he was doing, bright blue light engulfed me, and I felt a wave of relief flood my body. I felt like I had just stepped out of the shower, or stepped out into the warm summer sun, but on a even stronger level. My vertebrae knitted back together, and the aches and pains from my fight just washed away before the light.

"Blue sunlight makes you even tougher," Shinji said. "Let's see how much of a boost I can give-"

A massive hand suddenly swatted him to the ground, audibly snapping bone, and Darkseid stepped over his body towards me. A glance showed that Shinji was still alive, but it would be a few moments before his wounds were healed.

"Kryptonian," Darkseid snarled.

"Asshole," I replied, standing up to greet him.

His eyes widened in shock, then narrowed as he lunged at me. Time slowed down as he raised a fist, moving like he was trying to run through molasses. I watched idly as his fist came closer, then caught it dead in its track with the palm of my hand. I could feel the force behind the blow, but I did not let it budge me an inch as I saw the look of shock slowly dawn on Darkseid's face.

Then I squeezed.

There was a wet crunch, and Darkseid howled in pain as every bone in his hand splintered into tiny pieces. He swung at me with his other hand, and I ducked beneath the blow with an almost absurd level of ease, a sudden calm over me. I caught him in the side with a well-aimed punch, and there was a satisfying crack as his ribs broke under my fist. He went flying straight up, the air turning to a sheath of plasma around his body, and I raced upwards to greet him again, this time sending him flying back down with a kick.

Time sped up again as I descended, arms folded. Darkseid rose from the crater made in the foundation, black blood trickling down his nose, and glared at me. To the side, Shinji staggered to his feet, his wounds already healed.

"Shinji," I said, my voice firm, "get to the others. Now."

"But-"

"I can handle him."

"Just came in for an assist," he grumbled. He gave me a wary glance, then sped off, a trail of light following after him as he flew to regroup with the others.

I walked towards Darkseid, fists clenched. Dull, red flames lapped all over my skin; the sheer power I now wielded was enough to flash-fry the air itself. I could only imagine the kind of sight I must've made for, with the aura of red light about me. Any nearby inhabitants probably would've thought they had seen the fire goddess herself, coming to bring retribution to all sinners.

Darkseid's eyes flared, and he moved to fire his Omega Beams. I rushed forward and clamped my hands over his eyes, digging my nails into his rough skin. There was a bright flash, red light seeping out from between my fingers, and Darkseid was blasted away, smoke rising from his face. My hands burned, but it was a manageable pain, unlike before.

The so-called New God struggled to rise, hideous burns covering his face. Blood trickled from his eyes, and I could see a look in them that I hadn't seen before.

Fear.

"I believe I said something about showing what I meant when I said I could do anything," I said, a steel edge to my voice. "Let's go."

* * *

 **-/-\\-**

* * *

 _Aboard the Thuktun Flishithy_

"The main enemy ship has been destroyed from within by an unknown force," the Defensemaster reported. "The other ships are retreating as we speak."

"That's good to hear," Dragon said, her voice crackling over the radio. "What is your condition."

"Message Bearer is holding strong. We have sustained some damage on the right flank, when a nuclear device detonated against the hull."

"What of the _Michael_?"

The Defensemaster lowered his head. "The ship can no longer fight. It has sustained heavy damage to its reactor following an altercation with so-called 'Bug Fighters'. It took down several larger vessels before it was incapacitated; it fought well."

"Make sure the crew is safe," Dragon replied. "Then, I need you to began bombardment of these positions."

The coordinates came up on the CIC's main computer, and Rufutzonth-nimp's eyes widened.

"These are very close to your current positions," he protested, only for Dragon to cut him off.

"If you do not, we will be overwhelmed. The Herdmaster will hold you fully culpable for such failure; you know how irritable he can be."

"Understood." The Defensemaster switched the radio off, and gestured to the other fithp in the CIC. "Prepare bombardment of these coordinates."

"Yes, Defensemaster."

As the old fi' turned once more to watch the battle unfold on the screen, he hoped that Dragon knew what she was doing.

* * *

 **A**

* * *

 _The Ringworld_

"They're turning back!" Speaker bellowed.

Jake looked up from the dead daemon beneath him. Sure enough, the Marines in the outskirts were turning back, running towards a commotion beyond the hill. A powerful roar reached his ears, and he realized that Godzilla was there, drawing them away.

They left two dozen dead Hork-Bajir behind.

"Gamera and the other kaiju are mopping up the Marines near the valley, but there's still the issue of the enemy forces actually _inside_ the valley," Dragon's drone said. "We're running low on ammo, and they could overrun us at any moment."

(What does that mean?) Rachel inquired.

"It means duck," came the swift reply.

Green light suddenly came down from the heavens, tracing the valley in a lazy ellipsoid. Speaker was the first to recognize what was going on, and therefore the first to sprawl on the blood-soaked earth, hands over his head.

"Everyone, do as the machine says!" the kzin growled. "This is going to be dangerous!"

Jake did as told, crouching down against the forest floor. The others followed suit, some still uncomfortably exposed due to their size. Rachel and Tobias in particular looked like they were going to be in trouble, and Jake hoped they would be alright.

Steel rained from the sky. It came down in a flurry, then a hailstorm, the air growing uncomfortably hot as molten slugs pounded the valley. The ground trembled, sending pine needles and leaves gently falling from the branches above the group. Jake watched as the valley floor was churned into fine rubble by the bombardment, then into ash and smoke that rose into the air.

Finally, the storm ceased. Jake rose on unsteady legs, and peered at the devastation below. The valley floor was blackened, flattened, devoid of anything that resembled an army.

(An orbital bombardment,) Ax murmured to Jake's side. (Very impressive.)

(Does that mean it's over?) Marco inquired.

(Not quite,) another voice replied.

At once, the group turned to the source of the voice. A hulking creature lurched towards them, easily more than fifty feet tall. Jake's eyes widened with recognition as he realized just _who_ it was.

(Visser Three,) Ax said, his voice low.

(That's 'Emperor' to you,) the Andalite-Controller replied. He rose to his full height, baring rows of sickly-blue teeth. (Not that it matters; you'll be dead in a few minutes, anyway.)

(You sure about that?) Marco asked. (Cause it seems like your entire army just got its ass whooped.)

(Will that matter to you when I'm pulling your intestines out through your throat?), the Emperor asked mockingly. (Now, let's end this, shall we?)

A laser beam suddenly struck the Controller in the eye, and he stumbled back, blue blood trickling from the wound. Dragon's drone flew ahead, and the others charged, capitalizing on the distraction. Jake sprung forward, claws out, and sank his teeth into the former Visser's shin, while Rachel and Tobias took out the Controller's other leg in a concentrated charge.

The Emperor morphed as he fell, his flesh shifting with alarming speed as he turned into a seven-headed serpent. Fire shot from his maws, and several Hork-Bajir fell, burning. Jake backpedaled away, eyes wide.

(H-he can't do that, can he?)

(Looks like he can, the cheating bastard,) Marco grumbled.

(Evidently his alliance gained him some new tricks,) Ax added, sullen.

Speaker was not given pause by such a development. A low growl escaping him, five hundred pounds of kzin warrior jumped into the air, slicing off two heads with a swing of his variable sword. The Emperor stumbled back, yellow ichor spraying from the writhing stumps, then morphed again, this time into some kind of hairy ape-thing. Letting loose a fearsome howl, he swiped Speaker across the chest, sending the kzin hurtling away with a broken rib.

That was when something suddenly pierced through the Emperor's throat, nearly decapitating him. He stumbled, as if about to fall, then morphed into a fifteen-foot tall creature that resembled a insectoid dinosaur.

A shadow passed over Jake's head, and he realized that the Batman had joined the fight, now. Sure enough, the caped hero dropped down by his side, panting heavily. Light scratches covered his armor, along with dried blood.

"Sitrep. Now."

(He can transform into anything whose DNA's he's acquired,) Jake replied, watching as Rachel kept the Controller occupied. (Morphing is tiring, though; we should be able to keep him from doing it forever.)

"Got it," the Batman said. He pulled a grappling hook from his belt, and fired at the Emperor. The cable wrapped around the Controller's legs, binding them together, then blurred as they suddenly activated their nano thorns. Blood and dust gushed from the Emperor's legs, and he fell, the entire upper half of his body coming free.

"Box him in," the Batman continued. "Make sure he can't escape to recover his strength."

Jake nodded, then bounded forward. The Emperor was still halfway through his transformation into the seven-headed serpent, rendering him helpless as tiger claws began to tear into his flesh. The other Animorphs joined in, attacking from all angles with tooth and claw and tusk, while Toby managed to sever one of the morph's legs with a swing of her nanothorn sword.

It was working. The Yeerk Emperor began to morph again, trying to transform into an Antarean Bog, but he was slower now, the process rougher. The Batman threw more of his nanothorn blades, disintegrating chunks of flesh with each it, and the Animorphs continued to tear away at the Controller, refusing to grant a moment's reprieve.

The Emperor's death was neither grand or meaningful. It was an ugly affair, a pathetic struggle as his ill-gotten powers failed him in the most crucial moment. There were no last words to be spoken, no one last gesture to his enemies; just a pitiful wail as he bled out mid-morph, the flesh permanently contorted in a macabre display.

Ax pulled away first, flicking blood off his tail-blade. A quartet of eyes studied the corpse, as if to confirm that the Emperor was indeed dead, then knelt down to utter a prayer for his avenged brother.

(So much for Epslin or Epsilon or whatever his name was,) Rachel muttered.

(Is it over now?) Marco asked.

"We'll head back and regroup with the others, first," the Batman panted. "I have a feeling there's going to be more trouble ahead."

"I have wounded," Toby said. "We need to get them to the healer."

(We'll help you with that,) Jake said. (Ax, how much time do we have left in morph?)

(We have forty-five minutes left,) the _aristh_ replied.

Marco paused in the act of helping a Hork-Bajir up. (Forty-five... minutes?)

(Forty-five of your Earth minutes,) Ax corrected hastily.

A chuckle. (They're everyone's minutes, Ax.)

"I don't get the joke," the Batman said.

* * *

 **A**

* * *

"Easy now," Panacea said, a hand on Speaker's chest. "Your biology is a bit weirder than what I usually deal with, but that doesn't mean you can hiss at me like that."

"Apologies," the kzin rumbled. "I am not used to a female human tending to my wounds as such. The females of my species are non-sentient."

"And they still wonder why they lost," Louis quipped.

"Hurr. Your jokes are not appreciated at the moment, Louis. How did you even get arrive, might I ask?"

"Nessus and I came in for a landing after the elephant aliens took out the bad guys' fleet," the flatlander replied. "Looks like everything's settling down."

A nearby Hork-Bajir groaned in pain, black blood trickling from a compound fracture on its arm. Panacea left Speaker's side and moved to take care of it.

"I believe he would disagree with you," Speaker remarked.

"As would the Race troopmales," one of Dragon's drones added, hovering into view. "Apparently they lost their Fleetlord in combat. He commandeered a landcruiser and used it to draw away enemy Marines when the bombardment came."

"He died a hero's death," Speaker said. "That is better than most can hope for. The multiverse may have been saved in part to his sacrifice."

"And I don't think his people will know that," Louis muttered. "I did some reading while we were on that Earth. His own people shunned him after he helped the US win the war, forgetting that he did it to save millions of innocent lives."

"Perhaps we will rectify that, once this is all over," Speaker offered. "I would like to see their sheltered Emperor quiver when he sees a kzin for the first time."

"Tanj it, why does that sound like a good idea to me?"

Before they could say anything else, they saw Shinji descend to the ground nearby, his armor dimming in brightness. The boy ran up to them, eyes wide.

"Is Asuka-"

"They're safe," Louis assured, gesturing towards the middle of the main camp. "What about Superwoman?"

"She said she'd handle Darkseid on her own," Shinji replied.

"Now what the tanj does that-"

A bright flash cut him off, and he turned to see a distant explosion on the upward curve of the Ringworld. Already he could see a massive spike of foundation material rising into the air, taller than any mountain on Earth.

"She must have performed a relativistic impact," Speaker remarked. "Like a smaller scale version of the event that created Fist-Of-God."

"Fist-Of-Superwoman," Louis muttered.

"Uh, I think something's coming this way," Shinji stammered.

Sure enough, Louis managed to catch a glimpse of a shooting star, right before it landed a few dozen yards away. Everyone scattered away from the impact point, and Louis could hear rumbling in the distance as Godzilla and the other kaiju approached.

Out of the smoke, Darkseid emerged. Speaker growled and unfurled his variable sword, while Shinji prepared to fire. Low growls came from the kaiju, and Louis began to feel nervous as he stared at the figure of the New God.

Darkseid took a step forward, then promptly collapsed.

"Talk about anticlimactic," Louis heard Marco quip.

There was a crack of thunder, and Superwoman was suddenly there, arms folded across her chest. Darkseid tried to rise, only for her to plant him back into the ground with a vicious kick.

"Everyone, clear away!" she barked.

Louis did as told, numbly backpedaling away from the sight before him. The tension in the camp was thick enough to cut with a knife, and he could hear as Godzilla prepared to blast the area with atomic breath, if anything were to go wrong.

"It's over," Superwoman growled. "Your armies are finished; your allies have either died or abandoned you. Give up now, before we're forced to kill you."

At that, a throaty guffaw came from the crumpled figure of the New God. Darkseid laughed freely, madly, even as his ribs cracked and popped with each breath.

"My body may be shattered, but my true self grows stronger with each passing moment," he rasped. "I finally have the strength to reach it."

"Reach what?" Superwoman asked, her voice hard.

"The heart of creation itself." A grin broke out on Darkseid's battered face. "I don't need to beat you to win, Kryptonian; I already have."

Suddenly, he was gone, a _void_ taking his place. It was as if a chunk had been taken out of reality itself, leaving only a white sphere that just seemed to go against the natural order of things. No light came from it, yet Louis found it hard to stare directly into the center, as though it would hurt his eyes. The sphere expanded rapidly, the edges wavering and contorting, and everyone began to back away.

It wasn't fast enough.

The sphere seemed to almost expand outwards, moving too fast for Louis to conceive, and there was only blinding light after that.

* * *

 **S**

* * *

 _The Heart of Creation_

It took me a few moments to get a bearing of what was going on. Or maybe aeons had passed, for all I knew; there was no way to tell.

Blinking a few times, I realized that I was in some kind of white void, stretching out forever. There was _nothing_ in it; no heat blooms, no tiny motes of dust, nothing. There was nothing to hear, or to smell, and I began to wonder if I had actually turned blind.

 _Where are we?_ a familiar voice said. There was no way to tell where it was coming from; it was as though the words were appearing right in my ears.

 _Shinji?_ I called. My voice sounded strange as well, like the words coming out of my mouth were simply being willed into being. _Shinji, is that you?_

 _I'm here,_ he replied. And suddenly he was, just floating a few feet away. His armor had faded away, leaving him in his old school uniform, and his eyes were wide as he looked at me.

 _What's going on?_ he asked. _Where is everybody, and why are we talking like this?_

I shook my head. _I'm just as lost as you are._

A low growl came from all directions and nowhere. Godzilla came into being, just as swiftly as Shinji had. He was as titanic as ever, but at the same time he seemed so... small, dwarfed by the infinite nothingness around us. He furrowed his brow and cocked his head, curious.

 _Uh, something's up with you, big guy,_ Shinji said.

I saw what the teenager meant. Godzilla seemed almost ephemeral, like a faint mist, swirling and shifting. He looked normal one moment, and the next his eyes were a milky white, his features altered into something that looked almost demonic. That passed, too, and soon his face softened, becoming friendlier, before he shifted into a rougher form with green scales and purple spines.

 _Is he... transforming or something?_ Shinji asked. _And I think it's happening to you, too!_

Sure enough, I looked down to see that my costume had shifted. Silky material covered my arm, covered with chitinous armor plates, and my vision became tinged yellow as lenses formed over my eyes. Before I could make sense of it, the costume disappeared, leaving me back in something like my old uniform, only more spandex-like. A wisp of my hair floated in front of me, and I realized that I some of it had turned gray.

 _I think we're all changing,_ I told Shinji.

He looked down to see armor swirl into being around him, evocative of some old Japanese action show, only to be replaced by a uniform eerily similar to my own. That, too, disappeared, and he was back in his uniform.

 _I'm starting to freak out over here,_ he mumbled.

 _Let's find the others before we panic,_ I said.

And suddenly, we did. All of us were drifting together, like a absurd swarm of meteoroids hurtling through space. Colin drifted past me, his costume flickering between variations of both his old and new costume.

 _I think we're shifting between alternate versions of ourselves,_ he said. _This is the heart of reality or whatever, right?_

 _Only thing I can think of,_ I replied. _We can talk about after we find Darkseid._

 ** _You already have._**

I looked around, but saw nothing but the others. We all seemed so insignificant, so _small,_ before the infinite. Everyone was looking around, trying to find where the voice came from, but they were as helpless as I was. Gamera hurtled past me, eyes closed in concentration. What was he trying to do?

 _What exactly is this place?_ I heard Eren demand. _Where the hell are you?!_

 ** _This is the hub of all reality, the conjunction of every possible universe,_** Darkseid replied. **_A window into eternity and infinity. It is here that I shall bring it all into myself._**

 _Fat chance of that,_ _Dorkside,_ Marco retorted. _You'd need the Anti-Life equation for a stunt like that._

A pause.

 _Oh god, he actually has it._

 _ **It is weakened, limited,**_ Darkseid said. **_But it is unstoppable, in this axis of the Source. Here, I will use it to corrupt everything that is, was, or will be._**

 _Isn't bad luck for a villain to reveal his devious master plan?_ Dragon asked aloud. _Or is your ego that huge?_

 ** _It is also correct,_** Darkseid rumbled. **_There is nothing you can do to stop me. No amount of firepower can destroy me, for I may as well not exist physically in this realm of nothingness, and there is nothing you can say to sway me._**

 _Doesn't_ _mean we'll just roll over!_ Eren snarled.

Out of the corner, almost impossible to notice, I saw a flicker travel from Eren and into Gamera, as though a piece of his soul itself had traveled-

The realization hit Jake and Marco the same time as it did me.

If there was an Anti-Life Equation, then there was a Life Equation.

What took away from life, and what gave it meaning? Maybe, if we knew that, we'd be able to counteract what Darkseid would do.

 _Guys, it sounds crazy, but we need to focus on really good stuff,_ I called out. _What is your most positive defining trait? Think of that, and foster it, let it grow._

Flickers of light danced away from the Animorphs, and I could _see_ what they meant. Determination, in spite of hopeless odds. They had fought the Yeerks for years, outnumbered and outgunned, with no real chance of backup, but they soldiered on anyway.

The others began to follow suit, unable to see how the light began to blossom and well in Gamera's chest, swirling around his heart. From Godzilla came bravery, from Shinji came courage. Love, altruism, charity, atonement; the raw _concepts_ swirled into being, pooling inside of Gamera. Faintly, I remembered the mystical talents he wielded, and I saw that Mothra was aiding him along. The two mystics of our little group were doing _something_ , and I hoped it would work.

It looked like Darkseid saw what was happening, too. He was suddenly there, towering over us, impossibly huge. He could've hold the Earth in the palm of his hand, and I could see his eyes flare with the light of the Anti-Life Equation. If that hit, then it was all over. Reality would be his to play with, and everything good about life would be forever erased.

 ** _Darkseid_ is, **he rumbled. The entire universe seemed to quiver before his voice, rippling through eternity.

There was no time left. Gamera's chest opened up, like a blossoming flower, and an intense golden light blasted from his chest just as Darkseid fired with his own attack. Life and Anti-Life collided, a literal clash of ideals and philosophies, and began to struggle.

 _Uh, I think we're missing something,_ Marco said. _Superwoman, I think you need to give our weird combo attack the extra oomph it needs._

 _But what?_ I asked. _I'm thinking, but I've got nothing._

 _Dammit, are you really that afraid of sounding like a braggart?! Hope, for fuck's sake. You aren't just a symbol of hope, or a bringer of one, Taylor. You_ are _hope. You inspire people to be better than what they are. Now spit that out before we get our souls eaten!_

I took a deep breath, and closed my eyes.

Like a fragile bird, flapping up into the sky, Hope came on swift wings as it flew into Gamera's chest.

The effect was immediate. The beam pressed forward, and Anti-Life folded in upon itself, crumbling away as self-destructive ideals fell before the attack. The beam hit Darkseid, and there was an intense light, blinding out everything else as the New God was shattered, his essence scattered.

Life had prevailed.

Amy found my side, and I held her close to me as the light washed over me. I closed my eyes, and waited for what came next. Death? Nothing?

Instead, I felt solid ground beneath my feet. Opening my eyes, I saw that I was standing in a small room, like something back home in Brockton Bay. Maps and posters covered the walls, while a old bookcase stood in the far corner, the massive piles of books inside gathering dust. A glance outside revealed a beautiful blue sky, with puffy white summer clouds. Several pine trees were visible, birds and squirrels scurrying along the branches.

"Where are we?" Amy muttered.

"I'm not sure," I replied. Twisting my head, I saw that Shinji and the Animorphs were in the room, barely fitting inside, while Yama and Colin peered in curiously from the hall. "Something seems awfully familiar about this."

"It should."

I turned to the source of the voice, as did everyone else. A boy sat in a old black swivel chair, twirling to face us from a scuffed computer. He was young, younger than me, but he looked older, with his solid frame and weathered face. His thick brown hair looked ruffled, and he smiled with tired, yet kindly eyes as he leaned forward. He was dressed casually, with old shorts and a Hawaiian t-shirt, and I saw that he was barefoot as he stood to greet us, half a foot shorter than me.

I knew who he was, even if no one else didn't. I had seen him countless times before, even watched him grow a little.

"You," I said.

"Hello," said the Author.

* * *

 _ **You have been reading:**_

 _ **CRISIS, Chapter Ten: Götterdämmerung, Part Three**_


	12. Chapter Eleven: Ein Sof

Previously on

 **CRISIS**

 _The final battle has been won. The forces of evil have been defeated; their threat to the universe has ended. In the process of defeating them, the forces of good find themselves in a strange place..._

* * *

 **T**

* * *

"Uh, just where the hell are we?" Marco asked. "And do you know that dude?"

"Yeah," Taylor admitted, rubbing the back of her head. "He's... well..."

"The boy with the typewriter," Shinji mumbled. "They weren't lying."

"Actually, I use a computer," the Author replied, chuckling. He extended a swarthy hand to Taylor. "It's nice to finally talk to you like this. I mean, it's not _quite_ face to face, but it's the closest we'll get."

"Likewise," Taylor said, shaking the Author's hand.

"You know him?" Amy asked.

"I'm with Panacea on this one," the Batman said. "Explain. _Now_."

"That's why we're here, isn't it?" the Author declared, spreading his arms wide. "Come on downstairs, I have some tea boiling on the kettle."

With that, he brushed past the group and into the hall, old stairs creaking beneath his feet. Taylor followed after him first, and the rest joined in after a moment's hesitation.

The living room had salmon pink walls, with large windows on one side that let in the sunlight, exposing dust motes in the sunbeams. Eren's group was there, sitting on the furniture, along with the crews of the _Dwarf_ and the _Bastard._ Toji and Kensuke were also there, Asuka and Yui standing nearby, while a humanoid suit of Dragon inspected family photos.

"Who's the kid?" Louis asked, looking up from a tattered book.

"He'll explain," Taylor replied.

"Come into the kitchen; I'm making tea," the Author said.

They did so. A small Siamese kitten trotted into the kitchen, rubbing up against everyone's legs, only to be ushered out by an older black longhair, which followed it into the hall. Taylor glanced at them, then glanced outside, peering through the walls to see the kaiju standing outside. They had shrunk, becoming much smaller, but they were still tall enough to crowd the large backyard of the house.

The Author took the kettle off the stove and poured some boiling water into a large mug. Steam rose into the air, carrying the smell of mint.

"Would anyone care for some tea? I have lemon, mint, Earl Grey, and Irish breakfast."

"I'll take some," Taylor said. "Earl Grey, please."

"Same here," Levi added. "I haven't had a good cup in a week."

The Author poured them tea as well, then leaned against the kitchen counter. Despite the absurd group staring at him, he was calm, at ease.

"Alright, where do you want to start?"

"The beginning, preferably," the Batman said.

"Yeah, are we dead or something?" Marco asked. "Purgatory?"

The Author took a sip of his tea. "That'd be a lame cop-out. No, this is still the heart of reality, where you guys just defeated Darkseid. This is a little meeting ground between two _very_ different places."

"Are you God?"

Everyone turned to look at Shinji. The boy fidgeted uncomfortably, but raised his head to look the Author in the eye.

"Are you the one in charge of everything? The puppet-master, the one who controls all of us for drama?" he reiterated.

The Author set down his mug. "No, I'm not God. I'm not even a mystical being or any of that stuff; I'm just a high-school student studying to be a physicist. I practice being a writer on the side."

"Do you write our stories?" Jake asked. "I mean, I know Siegel and Shuster wrote Superman first where we're from-"

"-and that's the case where I live as well," the Author interrupted. "Your Earth is the one most like mine, though we aren't being invaded by Yeerks. It's 2016 for me, right now. Same with Shinji and Superwoman."

"Curious," Yama murmured. "You seem quite knowledgeable about all of us."

"Well, I'm big fans of all of you," the Author replied. "Let's head outside; fresh air and walking helps me think better. I'll explain it more to you."

He took one last sip of his tea and walked through the next door, where the backyard was. Godzilla paused in the act of emptying an old shed and glanced at the Author, head cocked.

"Easy," the Author coaxed, warily stepping up to the King of the Monsters, his eyes wide with wonder. He placed a hand on the kaiju's warm flank, giving it a firm pat. "Easy."

Godzilla snorted, then rested on his haunches, letting the warm sunlight warm him. He closed his eyes, a rather peaceful look on his face.

"You're taking an awful long time to talk," Eren muttered, his voice low. "We're in a bit of a hurry, in case you haven't noticed."

The Author turned to face the group standing in the yard, still smiling. "There isn't a rush, actually. Time has no meaning here; we could spent a century talking, and no one on the outside would notice."

He sighed. "But I know you're burning for answers. Alright, let's break it down a bit, starting with the important stuff. No, I don't control your lives. I'm not some cruel controlling dude or whatever, playing with your pain and suffering for drama. I can simply _see_ and watch what goes on."

"From your Earth?" Jake asked.

"Yep. Just like how writers on your Earth can make stories about universes you _know_ to be real. I mean, Superwoman is right next to you, dude, and you just teamed up with the goddamn Batman. Now, my Earth... my Earth is strange."

A wooden wheel formed in the Author's hands, and he held it up for everyone to see.

"Imagine this wheel is the multiverse. The space between each set of spoke is an entire worldline, extending till the end of time. The heart of reality, where everything is in junction, is like the hub."

A stick materialized from out of nowhere, and he placed it through the hub.

"My Earth, my entire worldline, is the axle."

"I feel like someone put a grenade in my head," Tobias mumbled, a hand on his head.

"Yeah, it's wicked confusing," the Author admitted.

"Wicked?" Yama inquired.

"Sorry, it's a colloquialism from where I live. My writing style and my actual dialogue are not exactly the same."

"Especially with that accent," Shinji said. "Why do you pronounce 'computer' like 'computah'?"

"Because he's from-" Taylor began, only to glance back at the Author. "Never mind. I don't think he'd like the readers to know that."

"How long did you know about this?" Amy asked. "Aren't spouses supposed to tell each other stuff like this?"

"Superman can see the fourth wall," Marco quipped. "He used to wink at the reader at the end of every comic. Aaaand now it all makes sense."

"Yeah," Taylor winced, sparing Amy a glance. "I've seen the readers for a while."

"How long?"

Another wince. "Since before we got married."

"How about a change of scenery?" the Author asked loudly, clapping his hands together. "Follow me."

He walked to the fence, grass staining his feet, and swung a door open. A beach lay on the other side, where one hadn't been a moment earlier. Waves crashed onto the shore, leaving seaweed on the wet sand, and the sun burned hot in a cloudless blue sky. Godzilla strode past the Author and dived into the water, the other kaiju joining him. When he surfaced, he was full size again, free from the confines of the backyard.

"I come to this beach all the time during the summer," the Author said, sitting down on the sand and letting the waves wet his feet. "Now, where was I?"

"Explaining the whole thing to them," Taylor said. "Shinji looks like he's about to have an existential breakdown."

"Fair enough. Basically, our realities can never interact, in the strictest sense of the word. That's why we can only meet here, a bridge between our various existences. I can never actually visit Earth Bet, or whatever Earth you live on, just as how you can't actually come to my world and mess stuff up."

He glanced down at the water, watching his reflection distort in the waves.

"But we can see each other. That's what happens when someone writes a story. They _see_ the people living in some other land, and they call them characters. They see a struggle, a genuine problem for you, and call it conflict, and they write about it, dramatizing it where needed."

"But you seem to understand every story, even the stories about stories," Shinji said. "What if you're actually wrong, and we're just fictional?"

The Author rose to his feet. He looked into Shinji's eyes, his own brow furrowed.

Then he slapped him in the face.

"Seem pretty real to me," the Author said. "Come on, let me show you something else."

Once again the scenery changed. They stood in a grassy field, fringed on all sides by trees. The sun was setting, casting a beautiful orange light on the horizon, and already some stars were visible. A large screen lay at the edge of the field, near the trees, and the group could see that a movie was starting to play.

"Every summer, when I was a kid, I'd go to the drive-in with my family," the Author said. "It's an hour drive, but we'd always do it when we had the opportunity. Cheaper than a normal theater. I loved the fresh air, and watching the sunset, and then we'd enjoy the movie. When the air grew colder, and summer drew to an end, they'd play older movies. One of them was this."

A fanfare began to play, one that the Animorph's recognized, as did Shinji's group. A symbol came onto the screen, and Taylor's breath caught.

"I remember the first time I watched Superman, and believed that a man could fly," the Author said. "Stories are more than just stories. They give us hope, they teach us lessons. They make us look into ourselves. Do you know how much you guys have influenced me with your adventures, your struggles? In the space of my mind, and countless other minds, you might as well be real, even if it's only in spirit."

"Pretty mind-boggling," Lister murmured, scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"Actually, it seems like something Grant Morrison would write," Marco said. "Though, that does raise up the question of how stuff can change from writer to writer when it comes to one person, or one universe."

"Writers still have to, ya know, _interpret_ what they get," the Author replied. "They might let their own biases or agendas cloud the truth. I try not to let that happen, as that's a sign of bad writing."

The surroundings melted away, and they were back in the kitchen. The Author smiled, leaning back against the counter.

"I'm getting deja vu back to Instrumentality," Asuka muttered. "I hate this trippy navel-gazing."

"So, since you seem to know about our stories, does that mean you know how it's going to end?" Shinji asked. "How _we're_ going to end?"

"End?" the Author grinned. "Nothing ever ends. There will be a time when a great evil tries to destroy all that is, and a great assemblage of heroes will be there to oppose it. It has happened before, and it will happen again, whether it takes five years or five centuries. But I think the worst is over, for all of you."

"Writing a happy ending for us, eh?" Dragon said.

"Only the ending you guys make for yourselves. Always in motion, is the future."

"Good to see you watch Star Wars," Marco said. "Otherwise we'd be looking at Death of the Author."

"Since he knows so much, I wonder if there's good prequels where he's from," said Kensuke.

The Author chuckled. "Prequels are still terrible, but there's an Episode VII on my Earth. Don't lose hope."

The kitchen door opened, revealing a white space, and the Author gestured to it.

"That's the door out, when you want to leave. The big battle is over, but I can tell there's a lot that's still going to happen. Good stuff, of course."

"A bit hasty," Yama mused. "We had only begun to discuss the metaphysical possibilities and questions about this whole meeting."

"Yeah, like does your Earth have curry?" Lister added.

"You'll be able to figure it out yourself, now that you have a base to work with," the Author replied. "Besides, your story still needs an epilogue."

One by one, the group began to walk through the door, some taking a few moments of hesitation. The door widened for Godzilla and the other kaiju to step through. Finally, the only two left in the room were the Author and Taylor.

"It was nice, getting to actually talk with you like this," Taylor said. "The others must be going through some pretty serious existential stuff right now."

"Everyone has them," the Author replied. "Sometimes I wonder if I am just a dream, and that there is someone else who is the dreamer. But I alway's tell myself this: If life is but a dream, then I am part of the dream, and therefore the dream is real to me."

"Conan the Barbarian," Taylor said.

The Author blushed. "Actually, I first read it in a fanfic."

Taylor chuckled. "Good thing you didn't mention that they'd be considered fanfiction on your Earth. That would just be too much."

There was a small silence. Taylor sighed, and made for the door. She paused right at the edge, and turned back.

The Author smiled. "Goodbye, Taylor."

"Goodbye," Taylor said.

Then she stepped through the door.

* * *

 ** _You have been reading:_**

 ** _CRISIS, Chapter Eleven: Ein Sof_**


	13. Epilogue

_Somewhere on (A)Earth_

Jake woke with a start.

He blinked a few times, slowly rising to a sitting position in his bed, and looked around. The morning sun shone in through his window, and he could faintly hear the chirping of birds. His room was the same as ever, with nothing out of place, and he could the TV playing downstairs, along with the muted voices of his parents. It was as though the events of the past few days had never happened at all.

Naturally, his paranoia came in full force.

He swung out of bed and carefully walked out of his room, examining everything on the way. The floor felt as it always did under his feet, and the wall was still smooth when he ran a hand over it. Making his way downstairs, he saw his parents sitting on the couch, their eyes glued on the TV.

Jake's father turned his way, almost absentmindedly. "Morning, son."

"Morning," Jake replied, carefully measuring his words.

"Is something wrong?" his mother asked, her brow scrunching with concern. "You don't look well."

 _Of course I wouldn't, after helping save the entire multiverse from a literal comic book villain, then meeting the guy writing my story,_ he wanted to say.

"Didn't get much sleep," he muttered, rubbing his eyes for added effect.

"That's what happens when you spend too much time on that computer of yours," his mother said, shaking her head. "I take it you already heard the news, if that's the case."

Jake's eyebrows shot up. "What news?"

His father chuckled. "Been on every channel since we woke up. Look."

Jake turned to the TV, and his breath caught. The screen showed what was clearly the inside of the White House - he knew that from personal experience - in the diplomatic meeting room. The President himself was sitting at the table, other officials at his side. Across from him were...

No. It couldn't be; that didn't make any sense...

He blinked his eyes, as if to try and dispel the illusion, but the trio of blue centaur-like aliens still remained, as if in defiance of common sense.

"According to the talking heads, they call themselves Andalites," his mother said. "This is exciting, isn't it?"

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled. "Uh, could I check in with Marco about this? I don't think he has a TV anymore, since his dad became unemployed."

"Sure thing," his father replied. "Just be sure to be back before dinner."

Jake was already out of the door, breaking out into a light jog as he headed in the direction of Cassie's barn.

* * *

 **A**

* * *

"Uh, does this make any sense to you, Ax man?"

The _aristh_ stood with his arms folded, enjoying a light breakfast as his hooves fed on the grass beneath his feet. (It does not, Marco. Unless I was mistaken, this planet should be recovering from an invasion, not unaware of one in the first place.)

"Maybe we just had a bad dream or something?" Rachel offered. "It's all I got."

"But that couldn't have been a dream," Cassie protested, strolling around the interior of the barn. "We all remember it perfectly. _We._ How could've we shared a hallucination or a vision? And how does Tobias have a human body again?"

"I'm not complaining," Tobias said. "Now I can be a hawk when I want to, instead of just, you know, _all the time_."

"It would've been neat if Superwoman left us with an autograph or something, just to remind us that it was real," Marco said. "Does anyone remember what happened, after we had that weird post-modern chat with the Author?"

"No," Jake replied. "I just remembered waking up in my bed, as if all that stuff had never happened. Maybe we can ask the Chee and see if they recalled a horrible invasion going on."

"Sure, let's go talk to the dog-robots when people are trying to look for aliens," Marco said. "And the Andalites would also be pretty suspicious, too."

"Wait, that reminds me," Cassie said. "Are the Andalites going to recall Ax and the morphing cube?"

(It is only a matter of time. Though I still do not know why my people have contacted yours, and why there seems to be no response from the Yeerks.)

"I believe I have an answer for that," another voice said.

The group turned at once, already knowing to whom the voice belonged to. A ephemeral figure materialized in the center of the barn, serenely looking at the group with electric blue eyes.

"Ellimist," Jake said.

"You have learned the good news, I take it? Andalite and Man, branching out across the stars to join together. Oh, I imagine there will be some rough spots here and there, but it shouldn't be bad in the long run."

"Were you responsible for any of this?" Cassie asked.

"Not as directly as I would've liked," the Ellimist replied. "After you left, I did as much as I could to minimize damage done to your world, while still keeping balance with Crayak. Quickly, however, I learned that I could use that same connection we made to get you across in order to spread my power even further through time and space, further than the one galaxy I had been limited to. I branched out into another reality, where my power could grow even further... and Crayak left."

(Left?)

"In a fashion. We dueled once more, but I was stronger; the balance between us that had existed for so long had finally been upset. After a great deal of damage was done, Crayak decided to leave for another reality, an empty one, where he could play God for as long as he liked."

"So what happened next?" Jake asked.

"As I said before, a great deal of damage had been done. The details of it are rather hard to explain to anyone who lacks a good grasp on the nature of space-time, but the gist of the matter is that the extent of my power was diminished severely in order to drive Crayak off. Most of my remaining power went into repairing the damage to your world, and the worlds affected by our duel. I am but a shadow of what I once was, now; it will be some time before I can simply use my powers to bring about a golden age."

"So you set this up," Tobias said. "You did some playing around, and got the Andalites to contact us."

The Ellimist nodded. "And now you understand what has happened."

"Does that mean we actually _did_ go on a massive quest to save the multiverse?" Marco asked. "And, by proxy, that means actually teamed up with the Goddamn Batman?"

"I'd assume so. I was unable to observe your adventure."

"I think I can finally die happy," Marco said, a giddy look on his face.

"What does this mean for the Yeerks?" Jake asked.

"With the wholesale disappearance of their fleet, the remnants still in this reality have surrendered. I'd imagine there would still be some resistance, but for the most part they have opened peace-talks with the Andalites. Civilians tend to be more progressive and willing to accept change than military; it's a trend I've seen on a thousand worlds."

"That means Mom might be freed," Marco said. "And Jake, Tom might be alright."

Jake sighed. "I can only hope so."

The Ellimist smiled. "I bid you all farewell, at least for the time being. The Anati will need some subtle help if they wish to develop starlight within the century. Oh, and I do believe there will be a nice surprise for you tomorrow, if everything goes as I have predicted."

The figure faded into mist, then nothing. Jake stared at where the Ellimist had been, then glanced at his friends.

"Does anyone know what he means by that?"

(No, Prince Jake.) Ax shook his head, and headed for the door. (I must be at my scoop, to await the Andalite fleet. No doubt they will have many questions.)

"They're going to flip if they learn the whole truth," Marco snickered.

"I'm just wondering what the Ellimist meant by a surprise," Cassie said. "Any idea?"

"Nope," Jake said. "But I have a good feeling about it."

* * *

 **A**

* * *

 _The Next Day_

"Can't believe this shit," Marco muttered, leaning in to talk with Jake. "Biggest event in human history, and we still have school?"

Jake sighed. "The education system is not intimidated by alien contact. Bad weather, but not aliens."

"Guys, be quiet," Cassie hissed. "The teacher's saying something important."

Jake fixed himself in his seat, and propped a hand to hold his face as he listened to the teacher drone on.

"-and we will be holding a project on astrobiology, since everyone is curious about our new alien friends. One essay, three pages long, in MLA format. Each of you also needs to make a trifold display about something that interests you involving astrobiology."

A collective groan.

The teacher continued on, seemingly oblivious. "And to celebrate the Andalites' arrival, we will be watching the official welcoming ceremony at the UN on the auditorium's projector screen."

A few murmurs at that. Jake wished he could share their excitement; the ceremony would be dull without the novelty of seeing an alien for the first time. Still, it would be better than just going through a normal school day.

"After all the crazy crap we went through, this is actually pretty boring," Marco commented. "I mean, it's fantastic and all, but I can't help but feel like my brain's oozing out from my ears."

Jake shrugged. "We met our childhood heroes and saved the entire multiverse. I think everything's going to be downhill from here. That's pretty good, though; I'd take boring over scary every day. Who would want to fight Yeerks instead of just hanging out?"

"Rachel."

" _Besides_ Rachel."

"Ya know, I still don't know what kind of surprise the Ellimist was talking about," Marco said. "Surprise Taco Tuesday? Hork-Bajir holding a massive rave down at their place?"

"Teacher. Talking," Cassie whispered through gritted teeth.

"-and this massive occasion still does not completely brush away other school events. Like, for example, the new student teacher for this class."

Jake perked at that. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Marco had done the same.

"Something struck a cord about that," Cassie whispered. "Anyone else?"

Before Jake could answer, the student teacher in question walked in, and his breath caught.

A tall woman now stood in the classroom, her blue eyes scanning the group through thick glasses. Her curly black hair was rather messy, framing her narrow face, and she seemed to have a considerable slouch that gave her an almost skittish look. She wore a simple long-sleeve blouse and jeans, and she unslung a bulky satchel near a desk as she stood in the middle of the room.

"I-is that.." Marco whispered, his eyes as wide as saucers.

"How is it even possible?" Jake murmured. "I thought we were separated for good."

"Now class, I would like you to meet your new student teacher: Mrs. Hebert."

"I'm glad to be here," said Mrs. Hebert, a wide smile on her face. "I know you're all excited about what happened yesterday. I mean, who would've thought that we would ever actually meet aliens?"

For the briefest moment, Jake could've sworn he saw her smirk.

"Now, we're going to be working together for a few weeks," Mrs. Hebert continued. "Hopefully, we'll get along well."

Her eyes briefly darted at Jake and the others, and her smile widened. Marco teetered, as though he would collapse at any moment from the sheer excitement coursing through him.

"Actually, I think we're going to get along perfectly."

* * *

 **G**

* * *

 _Outside Wall Maria, (T)Earth_

Eren rose to his feet, rubbing his face wearily. A grassy field surrounded him, with gently sloping hills in the distance. The sun beat down warmly on him, and he took a moment to simply soak it in. Armin and Levi were close by, similarly groggy, and he could see Gamera's massive form out of the corner of his eye.

"Where are we?" Armin asked around, scratching the back of his head.

Levi elbowed him and gestured to a point beyond the hills. "Home."

Sure enough, Eren could see a small settlement across the field from them, smoke rising from chimneys as people milled about. Behind them, much further back, he could make out Wall Maria on the horizon.

"That's where we last saw them," he murmured. "Before those monsters rounded them up to work in the mines."

"Looks like we definitely won, then," Levi said. "Otherwise we would've been chopped up into mince already."

"Someone's coming," Armin said. "Look. They're heading down the hill towards us."

Eren looked to where Armin pointed. A small group of people was walking towards them, already close enough for him to see their faces clearly. The one leading the group wore dirty and torn clothes, with some scratches on her face, but she still had an air of dignity about her as she strode forward.

He recognized her immediately.

"Mikasa!"

* * *

 **O**

* * *

 _Aboard the Lying Bastard_

"The transmissions have been sent," Speaker declared. "Our worlds now have the specifications for the Quantum II hyperdrive."

"Fantastic," Louis said, smiling. "After all the craziness we went through, that's a nice consolation prize."

"Of course, now we shall return to the Fleet of Worlds," Nessus interjected. "The revelation of countless universes, including ones free of dangerous species or galaxy-cleansing supernovae, is one that the Hindmost will take great interest in. We will provide you with a method of returning to your homeworlds, of course-"

"Actually, I think I'll stick with this ship," Louis interrupted.

"Why? With the basic repairs made to the ship, it is no longer state of the art."

"I concur," Speaker added. "With the fame and fortune that will come with your accomplishment, you could easily buy a ship superior to the _Liar_."

Louis shrugged. "True. But we still have that modified hyperdrive."

Nessus quailed, his entire body shuddering. "After everything we've been through, you still wish to go to other realities?!"

"Sure. It was pretty scary, sure, but you seem to have forgotten what the Author said about the worst being over for us."

"The Author?! You earnestly believe an extra-universal entity that looks like a young male of your species?!"

"As surreal as the experience was, it appears that the Author is trustworthy," Speaker rumbled. "He possessed a great deal of knowledge about our expedition, as well as the worlds of the others we encountered. A cowardly species such as yours would not want to take the risk of believing him, but Louis and I don't appear to have such qualms."

Louis chuckled. "Don't worry; we'll drop you off at Hearth before anything happens."

Nessus visibly relaxed. "As long as the safety of me or my species is not hampered, then you may engage in whatever insanity you desire."

"Good," Louis said. "Now Speaker, do you want to come with me? You could return to your home planet and get that name you earned by saving the multiverse."

"My curiosity has been piqued, admittedly," Speaker said. "If there are universes where your stories are real, then there must be universes where my people's legends are true. Such knowledge would be a great boon to the Empire."

"Is that a yes?"

"Of course. After I return to Kzinhome and get my name, of course."

"Swell. I wonder what we'll find out there. Think we'll meet Superwoman again?"

"Perhaps. I also wonder what happened to the one called Bjorn."

* * *

 **Y**

* * *

 _Elsewhere_

Monsoon season had come again. Thunder rumbled in the distance as the time of the rains was born anew, and Yama could see the black clouds rolling in over the valley, obscuring the jungle in darkness. A few drops pattered down on the dirt path, and he redoubled his efforts, using the strength granted by his armor to pull the bulky machine behind him. He had to hurry, before the path became muddy and impossible to traverse.

It was almost too late. The rain was pouring in buckets as he finally made it to the monastery, roaring as it bore down on the land, pulping the leaves on the trees and reducing the path to a mudslide. He stepped into the old temple, dragging the machine behind him, and only paused to dry his brow before starting his work.

The old machines were still there, untouched since he had used them last. It was an hour's work to get them working again, repairing damaged circuits and replacing spent energy cells. By the end his hands were black with grease, and he could feel the start of a dull ache in his fingers and hands. He ignored the pain and pressed on. Time was of the essence, and there was not much of it left.

It was not easy work to get the Dreadnaught onto the platform; he had to use pulleys to lift it, and even then he still had to remove the sarcophagus and leave the rest behind. Finally, however, it was time to remove the stasis device.

He pulled the small gadget off the metal hull of the sarcophagus, and time resumed for an old warrior. A few tense moments passed, then Yama could hear the click of a vox activating.

"Where the fuck am I?" Bjorn demanded.

Yama smiled. "You're on a world where Heaven was overthrown, o Fell-Handed. My world, to be exact."

"Does that mean we won, then? Is that punk bitch of a Primarch gone?"

"He was slain by the efforts of Godzilla and Gamera. He received a blast of nuclear plasma down his throat."

"Heh. He'll need cough drops in the Warp for that. What of the others? How many did we lose?"

"The Race lost their commander, and one of our ships was crippled," Yama replied, connecting the sarcophagus to the necessary equipment. "Otherwise, however, we managed to endure the worst of it unscathed."

"I'm actually surprised by that," Bjorn admitted. "I was expecting at least three quarters of us to be dead, and that's optimistic."

"It was close," Yama said. "Very close. Darkseid was moments away from enslaving all of the multiverse, before we managed to counter it with embodied concepts. After that... we met the Author."

"Author? Author of what?"

"Our story. At least, that's one way of putting it. There is one world, one reality, that sees all others, and transcribes their tales into what would be called fiction. We met the boy who transcribed our adventure, while we were in the heart of reality."

"Just what the fuck were you getting up to while I was out? You didn't take anything from a Slaaneshi cultist, did you?"

Yama chuckled. "It was indeed a strange experience. Tis a shame you were unable to share it with us."

"It's also a shame I'll be dead in a few minutes," said Bjorn. "But we can't always get what we want, do we?"

Yama finished attaching the last electrodes, and began to check the antenna's operational capacity.

"A man once went to the Buddha, and told him 'I want happiness'," he said, glancing back at the old warrior's sarcophagus.

"What does the Buddha have to do with my current situation?"

"You'll find out," Yama replied.

"Hrrrm."

Yama continued on, even as his hands danced over the console. "The Buddha then told the man to remove _I,_ for that is ego. He told the man to remove _want_ , for that is desire. After that, he said, all you had left was _happiness_."

The antenna hummed to life, and he aimed it at the sky.

"You will not die the real death, o Fell-Handed; I will see to that."

"How, exactly? In case you haven't noticed, my life-support is leaking pretty badly."

"I have noticed," replied Yama. "I will transmit your _atman_ , your soul, into the planet's magnetosphere. There, you will be free from the vices and temptations of the world. You will be free from worry, or lust, or hatred, but you will also be free from love and other positive emotions. All that is left is peace, tranquility. You of all people deserve such a rest, after everything that has happened."

"Something tells me it's just a temporary gig."

"Indeed it is. I will repair your broken body, as well as your fearsome Dreadnaught chassis. Once that is said and done with, I will pull you back from Nirvana, and we shall work together to help your world."

"You intend to unfuck the Imperium? Mightier men than you have tried."

"Perhaps. But if there is anything I learned during my time fighting beside Great-Souled-Sam, it is how to make plans that span in the decades. Your trillion-man armies recycle and die in the space of a decade. But if a smaller army spaces themselves out, over decades and even centuries, then victory may be achievable, in one form or another. We may look to other worldlines for assistance, and they may be able to tip the scale."

"Even in death, I still serve," Bjorn echoed, thoughtful. "Alright, do it. Maybe we won't be successful, but it's better than not trying at all. If only we could get that healer to the Emperor..."

"There may be time yet for that," Yama replied.

"Heh. Maybe."

The final connections were made. Yama powered up the antenna, and prepared to transmit.

"For the Wolftime," said Bjorn.

Then, he fell silent.

Yama glanced down at the console, waiting. Finally, a green light blinked, and he breathed a sigh of relief. The transmission was a success.

"We'll meet again, friend," he said wistfully.

He straightened, and stepped down the platform. There was much work to be done.

* * *

 **-/-\\-**

* * *

 _Prefillo, Home_

Risson, Emperor of the Race, stood on the balcony of his chambers, eye turrets gazing at the bustling city below him. Tau Ceti hung massive over the horizon, tingeing the sky a deep orange as it set.

"My Emperor?"

Risson turned to see one of his aids standing in the doorway. The young Hallessi male had a nervous look about him; no doubt the recent news had shaken him to the core. The Emperor could not pass judgment, considering how he himself had felt when the news came in.

A Tosevite spacecraft, here to engage in diplomacy with the Race. In all of Home's millennia of existence, there had never been such an occurrence. And it had flown faster than light itself to arrive here.

"My Emperor, have you heard what the Tosevites have said? About the possibility of entire universes separate from our own?"

"Yes," Risson replied, a low hiss escaping him. "I take it our scientists are examining the data as we speak?"

"Yes, my Emperor. It... it appears that they are speaking the truth."

"As I feared," the Emperor said, clicking his tongue in consternation. "The public would be distressed to learn of such news."

Of course, they would be panicking if they knew the full story, as the Emperor himself only knew. To think that the remnants of the Conquest Fleet had actually _visited_ one of the other realities, all to stop a threat to Home itself...

"Are we to inform them, then, my Emperor?"

"That will be for me to decide, later," replied Risson. "For now, however, we must deal with the other news brought in, regarding the death of Viceroy Atvar."

"Some of the... more distasteful councilors have expressed that the Viceroy's demise may have been a blessing in disguise. That someone who failed you, and the Empire as a whole, deserved such a fate."

Risson clenched his fists. "No."

"No?"

"Despite what many feel about him, I know that Atvar did what he could to guarantee the safety of the Colonization Fleet, as well as the sanctity of the Empire. If he did not act as he did, how many innocents would have lost their lives in nuclear flame?"

"Truth, my Emperor," the aid said quickly. "Unfortunately, many do not see it that way."

"Then they are wrong, and fools as well," Risson declared, raising his head. "I have heard they are to bring his remains back here, for burial on Home. We shall give him full honors, as intended for all triumphant Fleetlords."

"Triumphant? Though he saved the Colonization Fleet, he also failed to secure Tosev Three, my Emperor. Such honors are intended for Conquerors, not Fleers."

"Truth," the Emperor said. He turned back to watch the sunset, sighing. "He is not Atvar the Conquerer. He is, and shall forever more be known as, Atvar the _Defender_."

The aid nodded. "Yes, my Emperor. I'll see to the burial preparations."

"Good," said Risson.

The aid left, and the Emperor watched as the sun set. Home could never know of what happened, of the sacrifices that had been made to save them.

But they would remember them, in one way or another.

* * *

 **O**

* * *

 _Aboard the Lying Bastard_

"Ready?" Louis asked.

Chmee nodded, hands dancing over the controls. "I wonder what we'll find, out there."

"I don't know, but I can't wait to find out," Louis replied.

"Indeed. Where are we to go first? A reality we have already visited, or somewhere new?"

Louis grinned. "Let's blaze a trail."

With that, Chmee activated the hyperdrive.

* * *

 **==/*\==**

* * *

 _Chichi-jima, (E)Earth_

Shinji sat on the beach, watching as the turquoise waters of the Pacific gently lapped at the shore. Asuka sat beside him, an arm draped over her shoulder.

"They're gone, now," he said, pulling Asuka close. "The souls she took. Whatever happened in the heart of reality or whatever it was called, they're back in their places, ever last one of them."

"That's good," Asuka murmured, snuggling up against him. "Think we'll ever meet them again? Superwoman, Batman, all those wacky guys we fought with?"

"I don't know," Shinji replied. "Maybe we'll see them again, one day. I'd like to think that's the case."

"Maybe we could all hang out here," Asuka offered. "Lister set up that hot dog shack of his nearby; he's been making a lot of money by selling to the staff back in the facility."

"He must have been so disappointed to learn that our Fiji is underwater," Shinji murmured. "At least he's got a place of his own in the Pacific, like he wanted."

"I don't think you've ever had a hot dog before," Asuka said. "Let's head down there tonight and see what you think."

"That sounds good," he replied.

The ground shook gently, and they turned to see Godzilla stroll down to the beach. The King of the Monsters stepped into his personal lagoon, sinking up to his waist, then turned to look at them, his fiery orange eyes burning in the warm evening. He nodded, as if to honor their contribution to the fight, and gave them a small roar.

Then, he disappeared under the waves.

* * *

 **S**

* * *

 _Somewhere on (A)Earth_

"So this is the nineties," Amy said softly, pressing up against me. "I don't see what the fuss was all about."

"Me neither," I replied, laying back in bed with her. "At least we don't have to be here all the time."

"Part-time gig in another universe," Amy muttered. "Brilliant idea of yours."

I pressed my lips against hers, silencing any further protest, and cuddled closer with her. Her soft skin was still slick with sweat from the summer heat, while I didn't even feel hot or tired in the slightest.

"I'm heading over to meet with Jake and the others," I said. "Important matters. Grades, projects, protecting the world; that kind of stuff."

"Fiiiiine," Amy said, rolling on her side. "Just be back before I go to sleep. Oh, and Dragon wants to go over some stuff in the morning."

I chuckled, then kissed her again. Rolling out of bed, I dressed in a hurry, pulling on my uniform and securing my cape. The neighborhood was quiet when I flew out; everyone was either asleep already, or out doing something else.

It was a simple matter to find the barn. Jake and the others were already there, anxiously pacing around. Their eyes widened when I gently touched down on the grass outside and walked over.

"So, just what is actually going on?" Tobias asked.

"As it turns out, Yama gave us a log of all the universes we traveled through," I replied. "It was a quick matter to find yours."

"Oh, so this isn't a case of all our Earths merging together," Marco said. "That's a relief."

"Still leaves the question of why you're here," Jake said.

I smiled. "The worst is over, but that doesn't mean we can just rest on our laurels, right? I have a feeling there's still going to be a lot of trouble, especially with whatever is out there. The Andalites seem friendly enough, but what about the other species that don't have such warm feelings for you guys?"

(She does raise a fair point,) Ax admitted. (My people have encountered many alien species, some of which have advanced technology, yet we've only explored a bubble of space that extends for several hundred light-years from our homeworld.)

"So you're here to help us through that, huh?" Rachel said. "Going to help us punch out whatever alien baddie crops up next?"

I shrugged. "Not just me. We're going to take rotating shifts through here, so we don't leave our world undefended. Dragon, Batman, Legend; we're going to make a few appearances here."

"Superwoman as our teacher," Marco muttered. "Maybe Batman will be a surfing instructor or something, in a place where we least expect it. That totally seems like something he would do."

"It actually does," I said, grinning. "Keep an eye out for him."

"I can't believe we're actually going to work with the greatest superheroes ever," Jake said, his voice full of disbelief. "It's like something out of a dream."

"Well, then I guess I should wait before suggesting it..." I began.

"What? Suggest what?" Tobias asked.

"You've shown yourselves to be top notch," I said. "You work together really well, you're good at plans, and you have an ability that could be applied in a lot of ways. The Justice League could definitely benefit from someone like you."

Marco opened his mouth, as if to say something, then closed it. He wobbled slightly, as if he was going to faint at any moment.

"Superwoman just asked me to be on the Justice League," Jake said. "My life is now complete."

"I think we should calm down a bit and discuss some other stuff," Cassie interjected. "What happened to the others, like Shinji and Yama?"

"They're out there somewhere," I replied. "We'll find them, and reconnect with them. I have a feeling that will be a long way away, though. In the meantime, we need to focus on the now."

"It's funny how Jake mentioned dreaming," Tobias murmured, looking down at his hands. "So much has happened, in such a short time... you ever wonder if the Author was wrong, or lying? What if we _are_ just fictional characters?"

I glanced at him, then took a deep breath.

"If life is but a dream, then I am part of the dream, and therefore the dream is real to me."

(Interesting view on the matter,) Ax said.

I smiled. "I'm not the only one who sees it that way. Now, if you excuse me, I have some other stuff to handle."

With that, I glanced at the sky, at a spot only I could see...

...where I see you...

"Holy shit, it's just like in the comics," Marco squeaked.

...and winked.

* * *

 ** _You have been reading:_**

 ** _CRISIS_**

* * *

 **A/N: It's finished. Done. Not perfect, admittedly, but it'll do for now. Big shout-out to** **Chuckman; his fanfic _The Crisis of the Infinite Shinjis_ inspired me to write this fic, and he is a far better writer than I am.**

 **This was an imaginary story. But aren't they all?**


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